Development of rearing methodology for the invasive Spotted Lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae)

Abstract

Lycorma delicatula, White (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), spotted lanternfly, is a univoltine, phloem-feeding, polyphagous and invasive insect in the USA. Although a primary host for this species is Ailanthus altissima, tree of heaven, L. delicatula also feeds on a wide range of hosts important to the USA including cultivated grapevines. Due to the need for classical or augmentative biological control programs to reduce impacts of L. delicatula across invaded areas, we developed a laboratory-based rearing protocol for this invasive species. Here, we evaluated the use of A. altissima apical meristems, epicormic shoots, and fresh foliage cut from A. altissima as a food source for rearing newly hatched L. delicatula. On these sources of plant material <20% of L. delicatula developed into adults and no oviposition occurred. However, when young, potted A. altissima trees were used as a food source, >50% of L. delicatula nymphs developed to the adult stage under natural daylengths and temperatures ranging from 20–25°C. The addition of wild grapevine, Vitis riparia, did not increase survivorship or reduce development time. To elicit mating and oviposition, adults were provided with A. altissima logs as an oviposition substrate and maintained under shortened daylengths and reduced nighttime temperatures (12L:12D and 24°C:13°C). This resulted in 2.12 egg masses deposited per female, which was 4× more than when adults were maintained in standard rearing conditions (16L:8D and 25°C). Based on these experiments, we present a protocol for reliably rearing L. delicatula under laboratory and/or greenhouse conditions.

Survival and development of Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) on common secondary host plants differ by life stage under controlled conditions

“…As such, the 30 cm tall, younger plant material used in this greenhouse study may not have contained sufficient phloem volume for the prodigious feeding behavior of adults and affected their survival, though we tried to compensate for this possibility with frequent plant replacements. Although previous greenhouse studies have shown that SLF can reproduce on these smaller trees (8), here, only one female was mated and none had fully developed ovaries despite some adults living in excess of 6 weeks. This may be due in part to the conditions under which these SLF were held.…”

Development and survivorship of Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) on cultivated and native Vitis spp. (Vitales: Vitaceae) of the Eastern United States

“…And while L. delicatula is observed on V. riparia in natural habitats, when it was included as a host along with Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Sapindales: Simaroubaceae) in a rearing study, its presence provide strong survivorship to the adult stage, but not at a greater level than a diet of A. altissima alone (Nixon et al 2022a). In South Korea, common host plants include several members of the Vitaceae family (Park et al 2009).…”

Evaluating Materials to Serve as Removable Oviposition Substrates for Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) Under Field Conditions

“…Recently, a rearing procedure for L. delicatula was developed. This methodology requires both suitable plant material, namely A. altissima plants and logs, and controlled environmental conditions for successful rearing in greenhouses or growth chambers (Nixon et al 2022). While this approach does generate both egg masses and nymphs, there may be a possibility of using egg masses collected from nature as a source for rearing biological control agents.…”

“…High densities of egg masses have been recorded in the field (up to 75 egg masses per m 2 ) on natural host substrates (Liu 2019a; Liu & Hunter 2021). However, removal from these host substrates requires a great deal of time and careful handling (Nixon et al 2022) because egg masses become brittle as the winter season progresses, with the protective waxy coating flaking away and exposing egg masses to potential damage or dislodgement when removed from the substrate.…”

“…Thus, we were not able to conduct egg hatch studies for substrates. Egg masses deposited on ash bark fared better, and this substrate has been used previously to acquire field-derived egg masses (Nixon et al 2022).…”