Lanternflies could be hatching in Michigan

• Researchers estimate that the bug, discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014, could cause billions of dollars worth of losses, primarily in the agricultural sector, as it radiates out from the Northeast.

How it works: Spotted lanternflies, colorful planthoppers native to China, can kill plants with their excessive feeding habits and the sticky substance they leave behind known as honeydew.

• The lanternfly doesn't have native predators, meaning its population can expand so quickly that hundreds of them could be spotted on one plant or tree.

Zoom in: Oakland County conducted chemical tree treatments after a lanternfly infestation was detected last summer.

• Staff looked for the 1-inch egg masses — they look like brown mud or wet putty — and scraped off the more than 400 they found on trees.
• "It's highly likely they weren't able to get 100% of them, so it's possible we will see some new ones this year," the Department of Natural Resource's Joanne Foreman tells Axios.

What they're saying: "We are entering the time of year where we would expect those to be hatching pretty soon, especially with this latest round of warm weather," Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's invasive species prevention and response specialist Rob Miller tells Axios.

What's next: Officials are encouraging a kill-on-sight policy for residents to help control the pests' growth.

• MDARD advises people to squish them and report their sightings here.