Evaluating entomopathogenic nematodes for management of the invasive spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

9:24 AM – 9:36 AM PT

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 212

Presenting Author(s)

LN

Laura J. Nixon

Post Doctoral Associate
USDA-ARS
Kearneysville, West Virginia

Co-Author(s)

SB

Stacy Byrd

USDA-ARS
Byron, Georgia
CB

Caitlin Barnes

USDA-ARS
Kearneysville, West Virginia
David I. Shapiro-Ilan

Research Leader
USDA-ARS
Byron, Georgia
Tracy C. Leskey

Research Leader/Director, Research Entomologist
USDA-ARS
Kearneysville, West Virginia

Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, is an invasive fulgorid with a broad host range; key host plants include Ailanthus altissima, Acer spp., and Vitis spp.. Management options for L. delicatula include insecticide applications, host plant removal, and potential native and classical biological control agents. Here, we evaluated known entomopathogenic species and strains of nematodes against egg, nymphal, and adult lifestages of L delicatula to establish their utility as a management tool. Treatments, which included Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, (VS strain), H. indica (HOM1 strain), Steinernema carpocapsae (All strain), S. feltiae (SN strain), and S. riobrave (355 strain), were applied either directly to egg masses or to host plants and the emergence or survivorship of L. delicatula were monitored.