Assessing the host range of Anastatus orientalis, an egg parasitoid of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) using Eastern U.S. non-target species

Authors: BROADLEY, HANNAH - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); SIPOLSKI, STEVEN - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); PITT, DANIELLE - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); Hoelmer, Kim; WANG, XIAO-YI - Chinese Academy Of Forestry; CAO, LIANG-MING - Chinese Academy Of Forestry; TEWKSBURY, LISA - University Of Rhode Island; HAGERTY, TYLER - University Of Delaware; BARTLETT, CHARLES - University Of Delaware; RUSSELL, ALANA - University Of Rhode Island; WU, YUNKE - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); DAVIS, SHANNON - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), National Wildlife Center; Kaser, Joseph; ELKINTON, JOSEPH - University Of Massachusetts, Amherst; GOULD, JULI - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), National Wildlife Center

Submitted to: Frontiers in Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/14/2023
Publication Date: 4/18/2023
Citation: Broadley, H.J., Sipolski, S.J., Pitt, D.B., Hoelmer, K.A., Wang, X., Cao, L., Tewksbury, L.A., Hagerty, T.J., Bartlett, C.R., Russell, A.D., Wu, Y., Davis, S.C., Kaser, J.M., Elkinton, J.S., Gould, J.S. 2023. Assessing the host range of Anastatus orientalis, an egg parasitoid of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) using Eastern U.S. non-target species. Frontiers in Insect Science. 3:1154697. https://doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2023.1154697.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2023.1154697

Interpretive Summary: The spotted lanternfly, an invasive planthopper discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014, continues to spread to other states despite quarantines and control efforts. A biological control program would contribute to long-term management of lanternfly. In its native range of China, a parasitoid wasp, Anastatus orientalis, is a key natural enemy that attacks lanternfly eggs. With cooperators, we examined the host specificity of the wasp by testing non-target eggs from 36 different insect species in six insect Orders. Results from these studies suggest that A. orientalis prefers to parasitize lanternfly egg masses, but will accept and is able to develop in some non-target species to some degree.

Technical Abstract: The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), an invasive planthopper discovered in Pennsylvania, U.S. in 2014, has spread to many surrounding states despite quarantines and control efforts, and further spread is anticipated. A classical (importation) biological control program would contribute to the long-term management of L. delicatula in the eastern U.S. In its native range of China, Anastatus orientalis (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), an egg parasitoid, causes significant mortality. Anastatus orientalis consists of multiple haplotypes that differ in important biological parameters. To delineate the physiological host range of A. orientalis Haplotype C we conducted no-choice and choice testing. No-choice testing of non-target eggs from 36 insect species spanning six orders and 18 families showed that this haplotype of A. orientalis can develop in a variety of host species eggs in the families Coreidae, Fulgoridae, Pentatomidae, and Saturniidae. Choice tests were completed for species that were attacked in the no-choice tests. Ten of the 16 species that were attacked in the no-choice tests were also attacked in the choice tests. The production of progeny on non-target egg masses was significantly lower than the production of progeny on the control L. delicatula egg masses run simultaneously in the no-choice and choice tests. For the non-target species that were attacked that resulted in female wasp progeny, those females were able to produce F2 progeny at the same rate as control females reared from L. delicatula. Larger host eggs corresponded to a higher female-biased sex ratio of the progeny, suggesting that gravid females select them for fertilized eggs. The largest eggs were selected for female progeny and the smaller eggs were selected for male progeny. Results from these studies suggest that A. orientalis Haplotype C prefers to parasitize L. delicatula egg masses but is willing and able to develop in some non-target species.