The Connecticut Department of Transportation is warning drivers to check their vehicles for the invasive spotted lanternfly.
The species often travels by attaching to car interiors, wheel wells and truck beds and caps. They cause severe damage to trees and crops.
DOT has posted signs at Connecticut rest areas advising travelers to kill spotted lanternflies if you catch them hitching a ride.
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You can also report a spotted lanternfly sighting through a state form.
The species feeds on more than 70 species of plants, including apples, grapes, hops and trees, according to the state's Agricultural Experiment Station.
The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection reports that about half of Connecticut's trees are threatened by the spotted lanternfly population.
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They are not harmful to humans and pets.
For more information on how to identify the invasive species, visit CT.gov.
