Evaluating deployment strategies for spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) traps

Abstract

The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White) (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), is an invasive planthopper that was first detected in the United States in Berks County, PA, in 2014, and has since spread to 13 states in the Eastern United States. This phloem-feeding pest has a broad host range, including economically important crops such as grapevine, Vitis spp. Monitoring presence and relative abundance of L. delicatula is essential to develop pest management tools. Here, we compared deployment strategies to optimize use of L. delicatula monitoring traps. Standard circle traps, sticky bands, and circle traps with replaceable bag tops were deployed at sites with either high or low populations present. Trap deployment at different heights and on different host tree species and trap sampling intervals were evaluated for standard circle traps only. Circle traps captured significantly more L. delicatula adults at low-density sites compared with other trap types in 2021, and no differences were detected at high-density sights. Traps deployed 1 m from the ground captured significantly more adults than those deployed at 0.5 m; no differences were detected for nymphs. While no significant differences in captures were found among intervals, weekly or biweekly sampling prevented specimen degradation. Although traps deployed on Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle (Sapindales: Simaroubaceae) captured significantly or numerically more L. delicatula at most sites, traps deployed on other hosts also yielded consistent captures. We were also able to alter the construction of circle trap skirts to allow for deployment on different sized tree trunks.

Assessing acceptability of wild and cultivated hosts of Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) under semifield conditions

“…Juglans nigra supports nymphal L. delicatula survivorship and development, but not adults (Nixon et al 2022b, Elsensohn et al 2023). Data from field trap captures have shown that L. delicatula are consistently present on J. nigra throughout the insect's development, but adults are in much lower numbers than nymphs when compared with A. altissima (Nixon et al 2023a). As studies have shown, L. delicatula can complete their development and reproduce in field cages containing the hardwood trees S. babylonica, A. saccharinum , and B. nigra (Uyi et al 2020, 2021); the suitability of these common wild hosts, including J. nigra , allows for greater spread and establishment of L. delicatula throughout the Eastern United States than can be predicted by assuming establishment only occurs when A. altissima is present (Ladin et al 2023).…”