Residents asked to report lanternfly sightings as invasive species spreads through Mass.

Massachusetts officials are asking members of the public to be on the lookout for the spotted lanternfly, as the invasive species starts to mature during the fall months.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources confirmed last month that spotted lanternflies have been detected in more than 50 cities and towns and nine counties in the state.

The department keeps an interactive map updated online with locations where the insects have been found. This includes clusters of communities around Springfield, Worcester, and Boston, as well as a handful in southeastern Massachusetts near the Rhode Island border. Berkshire and Franklin counties have been spared so far, as has Cape Cod.

Spotted lanternflies have been confirmed in more than 50 Massachusetts communities. – Massachu