HUNTINGTON, Ind. (WANE) – As the season changes and more bugs make a reappearance, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources is working to prevent the spread of invasive species.

Last week, the department said its Division of Entomology & Plant Pathology removed 1,960 spotted lanternfly eggs during a mass scraping project in Huntington last week. More than 1,700 of those were removed from a single large yew, DNR said.

DNR said the total number of egg masses removed so far this year is 16,830.

Spotted lanternfly trap (Indiana Department of Natural Resources)
Spotted lanternfly trap (Indiana Department of Natural Resources)
Trunk of yew with spotted lanternfly egg masses noted (Indiana Department of Natural Resources)

The department said it plans to continue scraping egg masses in Huntington until the lanternflies hatch.

If you spot a lanternfly hatch, you can reach out to depp@dnr.IN.gov or 1-800-NOEXOTIC.