DES MOINES, Iowa —

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship wants Iowans to watch out for an invasive and destructive insect.

According to the department, "the presence of an adult spotted lanternfly" was seen by someone from Des Moines County in September. IDALS says its entomologists provided the sample to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which confirmed it was a spotted lanternfly.

Spotted lanternflies are colorful, but invasive and destructive. IDALS says they're native to Asia, but have been found in 20 states since 2014.

Entomologists with IDALS conducted a survey of the area in Des Moines County where the insect was seen and did not find any signs of an infestation. Due to it being an "industrial area with significant

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