A Connecticut man is trying to turn the fight against spotted lanternflies into a game, using competition to encourage people to stomp out the bugs.
His online game, "Spotted!," asks users to upload photos of dead lanternflies, CT Insider reported.
Here's what to know
Woodbridge, Connecticut, resident Steve Dailey built "Spotted!" as a lighthearted take on his state's campaign against spotted lanternflies. The site lets people submit images of lanternfly bodies and see how they rank as individuals or as part of a group.
More background
As spotted lanternfly populations are growing in parts of the Northeast, Connecticut has urged residents to kill them on sight.
According to the National Park Service, spotted lanternflies likely arrived in the U.S. because people unknowingly transported them here. They can lay egg masses on wood, so it's important for anyone managing lumber to be aware of what they may be carrying.
Spotted lanternflies, like many other kinds of introduced wildlife, aren't intentionally trying to do damage. At the same time, it's important to manage their populations to keep local ecosystems thriving and safer.
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And by requiring players to submit images of dead lanternflies, the game adds a layer of accountability that helps distinguish casual claims from actual participation.
What can be done?
Players can also compete in teams, giving friends, coworkers, and neighbors a way to compare their progress.
Dailey, a senior program manager at Technolutions, said that group competition is a key part of the concept.
"You can create a squad," Dailey explained. "So it's like a hit squad."
Where can I learn more?
Connecticut's leaderboard idea is part of a countrywide effort to get more people involved in slowing the spread of spotted lanternflies.
• Experts say every little bit helps when residents stomp spotted lanternflies.
• Gardeners are warning neighbors to stomp spotted lanternflies on sight before they spread.
• On a Virginia trail, one hiker finds spotted lanternflies covering a tree of heaven.
• At Carnegie Mellon, the robot taking on spotted lanternflies offers a high-tech assist.
• In Ohio, yellow jackets are tearing into spotted lanternflies for free.
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