A solution to the spotted lanternfly infestation that has swept the Mid-Atlantic could come from researchers working out of the University of Delaware.
One of the major problems in controlling the spotted lanternfly’s population is that the insect has no natural predators in America. Researchers at the UD lab have identified two wasps from Asia that could help with population control if safely introduced to the East Coast region.
The spotted lanternfly was first spotted in Berks County, Pennsylvania, almost 10 years ago. The invasive pest poses a serious risk to agriculture, potentially causing over $500 million in damage to grape and fruit tree crops.
Although the experiment has shown promise, there are still many unknowns and risks to study before anything is officially implemented.
The potential solution: Parasitic wasps
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit, located on the University of Delaware’s campus, works with invasive species and attempts to find natural methods of population control. The crew often collaborates with researchers from China or Asia to gauge a better understanding of invasive pests.
Joseph Kaser, a biological technician who has worked with the lab for the past five years, explained what the lab has learned about the spotted lanternfly from their Chinese colleagues and visits to the country.
“The spotted lanternfly is rarely a pest in China,” Kaser said. “It appears that there are closely co-evolved natural enemies of the pest that help to suppress it in the native range.”
Some species of birds and other insects prey on spotted lanternflies here in the U.S. but are not having enough impact to stop the invasive spread.
Two types of parasitic wasps are being studied as potential solutions to controlling spotted lanternflies. Both are considered parasitoids, which are insects that lay eggs on a host organism, killing it as it completes its development.
The first species is called Anastatus orientalis, which lays its eggs inside the eggs of a spotted lanternfly and has controlled the spotted lanternfly population in China. The second is called Drinus sinicus, which attacks spotted lanternflies in their nymph stages by laying eggs inside a growing lanternfly before bursting out of its cocoon (Kaser likens this process to the infamous Alien scene where an alien bursts out of John Hurt’s stomach.)
What’s next?
It could take years of study before steps are taken, but the researchers are feeling optimistic about the project’s potential.
Neither wasp attacks mammals, which means humans would be safe, but tests are still being done to make sure no other native plant or animal species would be harmed by these parasitoids.
If all goes well, the case would need to be presented to various stakeholders representing the U.S., Mexico and Canada. From there, the wasps would be incrementally released into areas with dense populations of lanternflies.
“The reason for biological control is that when it does work it really is quite incredible,” Kaser said. “It’s the most cost-effective, environmentally safe management tactic you can have when it’s done right.”
Contact Molly McVety at mmcvety@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @mollymcvety.
