Red bugs with white spits on them - Ask Extension
I saw my okra had red bugs with white spots on it. When I googled it came up as invasive bugs that should be destroyed immediately and let the local a...
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Red bugs with white spits on them #938953
Asked July 11, 2026, 7:09 PM EDT
I saw my okra had red bugs with white spots on it. When I googled it came up as invasive bugs that should be destroyed immediately and let the local agriculture dept know. I was hesitant to kill them but have put them in a sealed bag. Is that the right thing to do?
Franklin County Ohio
Expert Response
Hello and thanks for letting me answer your question. What you have is the last instar of the spotted lantern fly. SLF. It is indeed an invasive. Unfortunately they have been spotted (no pun intended) all over the state of Ohio. You do not need to report it, but you may call your local extension office and let them know. You live in Franklin County the website is franklin.osu.edu The phone number is listed there. Please kill all that you see. Here is a fact sheet on the SLF. https://u.osu.edu/lorainanr/anr-resources/spotted-lanternfly-info/ Hope this helps and thanks for reaching out!
