Performance and Host Association of Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma Delicatula) among Common Woody Ornamentals

Abstract

Despite the broad host range of Lycorma delicatula, the performance of this invasive pest on non-Ailanthus host plant species is difficult to document realistically without using field conditions given this pest’s requirements for vast amounts of phloem. In spring 2020, we examined the performance of L. delicatula with and without access to Ailanthus altissima by tracking development, survival, host tree association and oviposition in large enclosures planted with one each of Juglans nigra, Salix babylonica and Acer saccharinum along with either one A. altissima or one Betula nigra. We reared nymphs with and without access to A. altissima, released them into the corresponding large enclosures as third instars, and monitored them from early July 2020 through November 2020. Insect survival was higher and development faster with access to A. altissima. Third and fourth instar nymphs were most frequently observed on A. altissima when it was present, while adults were equally associated with A. saccharinum and A. altissima. In the absence of A. altissima, nymphs were most frequently found on S. babylonica, while adults were most often on A. saccharinum. Females with access to A. altissima deposited nearly 7-fold more egg masses than those without access to A. altissima. In another experiment, the offspring of parents that had been reared without access to A. altissima showed similar survival and development time from egg to adult as offspring from parents that never had access to A. altissima. These findings suggest that managers need to be aware that even in the absence of A. altissima in the landscape, several hardwood host trees can be utilized by L. delicatula to develop and reproduce.