Cape May had been the final holdout, but on Thursday, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture said populations of the spotted lanternfly are now in all 21 counties in the Garden State.

A report from NJ.com, citing a spokesperson for the department, seemed to confirm that infestations had spread into Cape May County sometime in the past month.

An email message from New Jersey 101.5 to the Department of Agriculture seeking independent confirmation was not immediately returned Thursday.

94.3 The Point logo
Get our free mobile app

The spokesperson further told NJ.com that residents are no longer being asked to report sightings of the invasive bug, saying that decision was arrived at within the past week.

That reporting page was still active as of Thursday, however.

"While we appreciate the public's diligence in reporting the spotted lanternfly sightings, it is no longer necessary to report it to us," the spokesperson said to NJ.com.

New Jersey residents are still being urged to crush these bugs whenever and wherever seen — and not trap them with glue or sticky tape.

Patrick Lavery is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at patrick.lavery@townsquaremedia.com

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

What would happen to NJ if we were attacked by nuclear weapons?

We used NUKEMAP by Alex Wellerstein to see what would happen if a nuclear warhead hit New York, Philadelphia, Washington or New Jersey.

The models show what would happen in aerial detonation, meaning the bomb would be set off in the sky, causing considerable damage to structures and people below; or what would happen in a ground detonation, which would have the alarming result of nuclear fallout. The models do not take into account the number of casualties that would result from fallout.

Beautiful sunflower fields to visit in NJ 2022

Among reasons why the “Garden State” remains a fitting nickname for New Jersey — late summer means the arrival of sunflower season.

There are at least six fields, spanning the state. Some are in bloom as of early August, while others are planned to peak from late August to late September.

Calling or emailing before heading out is always advisable if weather appears to be an issue. 

More From 94.3 The Point