BUGGING OUT | Lanternfly set to spread its goo in MD

BALTIMORE (WBFF) - Maryland residents are being warned that this spring an invasive bug is expected to spread here.

The spotted lanternfly has been wreaking havoc in Pennsylvania since 2014 after being brought over from Asia.

"They're kinda hard to miss," says Mary Kay Malinoski, an extension specialist with the University of Maryland.

With their distinctive colors and spots, the spotted lanternfly is easy to pick out if you see one, experts fear they will soon be spotted in Maryland.

"Here they could easily hatch in mid-April," Malinoski says. "There is a distinct possibility it is already in the state."\

The invasive insect is already in Pennsylvania causing huge problems for farmers and homeowners.

"They were massing on trees in people's yards so you can't even see the tree," she says.

Malinoski is studying the bugs, working with the Maryland Department of Agriculture to warn people of what's coming.

"I can't imagine," she says. "They're saying they're getting stuck, pulling them out of people's hair. It's just awful."

In addition to being a pest, the bugs feed on 35 different plants, trees, vines, and crops like grapes.

"They reduce the sugar content in the fruit to the point where it's useless," Malinoski says.

The spotted lanternfly also leaves a sticky mess behind and the bugs have reportedly poisoned a pet dog.

"We figure, when they get down here, if they do that down here, it's going to be a really big deal," she says. "People are not going to sit still for that kind of thing."

The Maryland Department of Agriculture is launching a campaign to raise awareness and get people to report any sightings.

It's difficult to fight the spread of the insects because not much research has been done says Malinoski

"We just haven't dealt with anything like this before."