Spotted lanternflies in Pittsburgh picked up by weather radar

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The spotted lanternflies are back in the 'Burgh in full force, and they're pretty noticeable -- so noticeable that the weather radar is picking them up.

The National Weather Service's Pittsburgh office shared a photo on social media Tuesday that showed spotted lanternflies on the radar.

"It remains quiet and dry but you may have noticed some activity on our radar. This isn't rain. It's a mix of insects mostly dominated by lanternflies. Check out how you can see the outlines of the rivers among the lanternfly radar returns," NWS Pittsburgh wrote.

"When these things take off and you get the reflectivity on the radar around the rivers, it makes for a pretty neat view," said NWS meteorologist Matt Brudy.

KDKA First Alert Meteorologist Ray Petelin posted some proof on social media , sharing a video of spotted lanternflies all over a flagpole on top of Mount Washington. There are so many bugs they're practically climbing over one another at the flagpole's base.

It's not unusual to see insects on the radar, KDKA First Alert Meteorologist Mary Ours said. The spotted lanternflies have been popping up lately, especially in the mornings. So how do meteorologists tell the difference between bugs and rain?

"Rain usually moves in a steady pattern and shows up as stronger, more consistent signals. Bugs move more randomly with the wind and show up as weaker, scattered signals. It's more common to see bugs near the surface on radar at dawn or dusk," she said.

Brudy said you can see the bugs moving with the wind.

"The wind today is kinda light out of the west and if you take a look at the radar, all of the returns and the 'rain,' which is really bugs, kind of looks like it's moving from west to east, so the bugs are moving along with the wind as the fly into the atmosphere," Brudy explained.

Spotted lanternflies are an invasive species that have spread through Pennsylvania quickly after they were first discovered in Berks County in 2014, according to Penn State Extension .

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has put 52 counties on its spotted lanternfly quarantine list, most recently adding Greene County after it confirmed populations of the invasive bug there.

After a few years with the pests, Pittsburghers probably don't need to be reminded about how to stop the spread of spotted lanternflies. But in case you haven't heard: if you see one, squish it.