articleThe Brief Thousands of dead spotted lanternflies have washed up along the beach in Sea Girt, New Jersey, and other beaches along the shore. Thousands of dead spotted lanternflies have mysteriously washed up on the shores of Sea Girt, New Jersey, and other beaches along the shore, creating a bizarre scene along the beach. Spotted lanternflies line the shoreWhat we know:The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that was first discovered in the U.S. in Pennsylvania in 2014. Spotted Lanternflies washed up along Sea Girt beach (Photo: Brian Wilson/WTXF)The backstory:The spotted lanternfly is native to China, India, and Vietnam but has established populations in South Korea, Japan and the U.S. What we don't know:There is no communication yet on how or why thousands of dead spotted lanternflies ended up on the beach in Sea Girt and other locations.