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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Newark, Delaware » Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #373772
Research Project: Classical Biological Control of Insect Pests of Crops, Emphasizing Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Spotted Wing Drosophila and Tarnished Plant Bug

Location: Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit

Title: Exploratory survey of spotted lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) and its natural enemies in China

Author
item XIN, BEI - Chinese Academy Of Forestry
item ZHANG, YAN-LONG - Chinese Academy Of Forestry
item WANG, XIAO-YI - Chinese Academy Of Forestry
item CAO, LIANG-MING - Chinese Academy Of Forestry
item Hoelmer, Kim
item BROADLEY, HANNAH - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item GOULD, JULI - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/5/2020
Publication Date: 12/10/2020
Citation: Xin, B., Zhang, Y., Wang, X., Cao, L., Hoelmer, K.A., Broadley, H.J., Gould, J.S. 2020. Exploratory survey of spotted lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) and its natural enemies in China. Environmental Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvaa137.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvaa137

Interpretive Summary: An invasive population of spotted lanternfly was first noted in eastern Pennsylvania in the USA in 2014 and has since spread to adjacent states. In order to develop a biocontrol program to aid in the management of the pest, exploratory surveys for its native range natural enemies were conducted in China from 2015 to 2019. Survey results showed that lanternfly is widely distributed in China but population densities in northeast China are higher than in southern or western China. Two parasitoid wasps were found at many sites, one species attacking lanternfly eggs and the other attacking its nymphal stages. Parasitism rates were influenced by habitat and host plants. These two parasitoids are promising natural enemies that are being considered as potential biocontrol agents of invasive populations of lanternfly.

Technical Abstract: An invasive population of spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula, was first noted in eastern Pennsylvania in the USA in 2014, and by April 2020 populations had spread to five additional states. In order to develop a biocontrol program to aid in the management of the pest, exploratory surveys for SLF natural enemies in its native range were carried out in 27 provinces or provincial cities of China from 2015 to 2019. Eggs and nymphs were collected and brought back to the lab to rear parasitoids of SLF, sentinel egg masses were deployed, and yellow sticky traps were used to collect SLF nymphs to determine the parasitism rates of nymphal parasitoids. The results showed that SLF is widely distributed in China (found in 21 provinces) and the population densities in northeast China are higher than in southern and western China. The percentage of SLF eggs that hatched was affected by habitat and oviposition substrate. An egg parasitoid, Anastatus orientalis, and a nymphal parasitoid, Dryinus sinicus, were collected. Anastatus orientalis was reared from SLF eggs in seven provinces in China and mean parasitism rates of eggs in the SLF egg masses ranged from 3.3 % to 11.4%; the Hebei population showed the highest parasitism rate, while parasitism of the Shandong population was the lowest. Parasitism rates were affected by habitat and host plants. Dryinus sinicus was discovered in eight cities across six provinces. The mean parasitism rates of SLF nymphs by D. sinicus were 31.1%, 23.3%, and 0% in Tai’an, Shandong Province, Beijing City, and Yan’an, Shaanxi Province, respectively. These two parasitoids are promising natural enemies that are being considered as potential biocontrol agents of invasive populations of SLF.