CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- Summer may be winding down, but that doesn't mean the summer pests will be disappearing.

The spotted lanternfly, which is an invasive species, is late summer, hitch-hiking bug. They can be extremely damaging to native plants and trees they nest on that are economically important to Virginia.

Blue Ridge PRISM hosted a webinar Wednesday to discuss ways to best control them and the tree-of-heaven, another invasive species and the bug's preferred host plant.

"I like insects, I enjoy finding insects in my yard, but this is something that I would not want to encounter in my yard," said Lori Chamberlin, a Forest Health Manager for the Virginia Department of Forestry. Spotted lanternflies have somehow hitched a ride from Asia to North America. They were first spotted in Pennsylvania in 2014 and have since spread to ten other states, including Virginia. "Unfortunately, there are over a dozen infested counties in Virginia and you can see it has spread to many other states," said Chamberlin. During a female's lifetime, they can lay 30 to 50 eggs per egg mass. And they will lay their eggs on any surface. "They can be cryptic and difficult to find. And because they lay egg masses on so many things, this is the life stage that is most at risk for being transported to new areas,” said Chamberlin. “These egg masses could be laid on vehicles' outdoor equipment and so then if those outdoor items are moved to another place before they hatch, you could potentially be introducing Spotted Lanternfly to a new area." The eggs hatch in mid-April and the insects become adults by July. They will hop, fly, and bother people until November. Aside from being nuisances, the flies, like many other types of bugs, will harm plants and trees. "The feeding will weaken the tree and will make it much more susceptible to other insect pests and diseases," said Chamberlin. As they eat, they secrete a sticky substance called honeydew onto leaves. Sooty mold will begin to grow on it, leading to an interruption of photosynthesis. "When they are in high numbers, you can hear and feel the honeydew falling down like rain," Chamberlin said. "And it can cover anything outside such as decks, vehicles, outdoor furniture, and then that sooty mold, that we just saw, can grow on all of those surfaces." Some vineyards in Pennsylvania have even seen destruction and have had to increase the number of pesticides that are put on their vines, which, in turn, increases the cost of production. "It’s such a new pest that there hasn't been time to fully understand the long-term impact," Chamberlain said. According to a study at Virginia Tech and a map of the state officials released, Albemarle County has been designated as a spotted lanternfly quarantine, which means there are established populations of the insect here.

To find out more about what you can do to get rid of them, click here.