These bugs are everywhere!

A spotted lanternfly opens its wings at a vineyard in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. (AP)
Spotted lanternflies gather on a tree. The insect has turned out to be a serious pest. (AP)
Jim Wood shows his vacuum and the attachment he uses to deal with the swarms of lanternflies that have been attacking his trees in Allentown, Pennsylvania. (AP)
Heather Leach is an entomologist. The bug expert inspects grape vines for lanternflies. (AP)
The federal government confirmed the arrival of lanternflies in southeastern Pennsylvania five years ago. (AP)

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God's Big WORLD | Ages 3-6 | $35.88 per year

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God created lantern-flies. They have wings like paper. Parts are bright orange. So are their eyes.

These bugs belong in Asia. They hurt crops in Pennsylvania. They fly at faces. They land on shirts.

People stomp, spray, and zap the bugs. Will they ever go away?

READ MORE: Lanternflies suck sap from trees and grapevines. They kill grapes. They leave sticky stuff behind. Farmers use insect spray. Homeowners use fly swatters, dish soap, and sticky tape to get the bugs. Jim Wood vacuums them off his trees. Nothing works. Workers pull down trees where the insects feed. But scientists need better ideas. Lanternflies are spreading into other states. Proverbs 16:4 reminds us, “The Lord has made everything for its purpose.”

Lesson #6: Painted Paper. Lanternflies are not in the order Lepidoptera. But their wings and coloration make them look very much like butterflies. Let your kiddoes create their own versions of lanternflies. If you are ambitious, you could search Pinterest for ways to make painted paper and let the children create with that. Or you could use simple construction paper. Fold a piece in half and cut out shapes of these insects’ wings. Open the paper. Let the kids drop paint all over one wing to make spots. Have them close the wings together and move their fingers over the paper to spread the paint droplets. Then use a popsicle stick to push the leftover paint out. (Be sure you have newspaper underneath!) Open the wings and let them dry. Then display them.