Lanternfly, an invasive insect that threatens crops, found in Iowa

State agriculture officials are warning Iowans to watch for the spotted lanternfly, an invasive, colorful insect that threatens crops and forests, after one was confirmed in Des Moines County.

Someone found adult spotted lanternflies in September in an industrial area with frequent out-of-state truck traffic, prompting a notification to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Entomologists sent the sample to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which confirmed it was a spotted lanternfly.

“We believe the adult inadvertently hitchhiked to this site on a truck. However, we want to make sure if there is an infestation that we move quickly to address it,” said Don McDowell, public information officer for IDALS.

The spotted lanter