Survivorship and development on and acceptability of tree fruit and other critical wild and cultivated host plants: Implications for management in the Mid-Atlantic

Lycorma delicatula, Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), is an invasive Fulgoridae that is now present in eleven eastern states.  This sap-feeding plant hopper has been recorded feeding on over 65 plant species.  In a series of studies, we determined what wild and cultivated specialty crop hosts supported development and survivorship of SLF in laboratory trials, and what hosts were most acceptable using field-based mark-release-recapture experiments. We found that Tree of Heaven was the only wild host among those evaluated that could support >50% survivorship of early instar nymphs, late instar nymphs and adults for two weeks as a single host, though many single host diets did support 50% survivorship for at least one week.  Mixed diets that included Tree of Heaven, Black Walnut or Grape (Vitis vinifera) as a primary host yielded development to the adult stage as a single host, and in combination with a second host such as specialty crop species, Peach and Apple, also resulted in development to the adult stage in most cases.  V. rotundifolia, however, did not support development or survivorship to the adult stage as a single host.  Among hosts evaluated in the field for host acceptability, grape (V. rotundifolia) and Tree of Heaven, were generally most acceptable.  Based on these results, it is likely that wild hosts bordering specialty crop production will likely enable survivorship and development of SLF and promote dispersal into vulnerable specialty crops, complicating pest management and resulting in increased insecticide interventions by growers.