Development of rearing methodology for the invasive spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae)

Authors: NIXON, LAURA - Orise Fellow; Jones, Sharon; DECHAINE, ANDREW - Virginia Tech; LUDWICK, DALTON - Texas A&M Agrilife; HICKIN, MAURI - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); SULLIVAN, LIAM - University Of Arizona; Elsensohn, Johanna; GOULD, JULI - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); KEENA, MELODY - Forest Service (FS); KUHAR, THOMAS - Virginia Tech; PFEIFFER, DOUGLAS - Virginia Tech; Leskey, Tracy

Submitted to: Frontiers in Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/5/2022
Publication Date: 9/21/2022
Citation: Nixon, L.J., Jones, S.K., Dechaine, A.C., Ludwick, D., Hickin, M., Sullivan, L., Elsensohn, J.E., Gould, J., Keena, M., Kuhar, T., Pfeiffer, D.G., Leskey, T.C. 2022. Development of rearing methodology for the invasive spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae). Frontiers in Insect Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2022.1025193.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2022.1025193

Interpretive Summary: Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive insect originating in Asia that has established populations in the USA. This insect is a phloem feeder with a broad host plant range, including important cultivated and native plants, such as grapevine, maples, and black walnut. Here, we evaluated the best conditions for rearing SLF from eggs to adults in greenhouse and environmental chambers. When provided with small growing tree of heaven plants, SLF were able to develop through to adults in light and temperature conditions natural to May – September in the mid-Atlantic. Adult SLF were able to mate and lay eggs in cages when provided with tree of heaven logs, and kept in light and temperature conditions natural to Fall in the mid-Atlantic.

Technical 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 four times 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.