Interactions of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula ) with milkweed

Spotted lanternfly is an invasive planthopper that was first found in the United States in 2014 that has now spread to at least 18 states. It feeds on more than 100 different host plants, including ones important to the ornamental, timber, and viticultural industries, making control of this pest important. Of particular interest are non-chemical management strategies, which can help slow the development of insecticide resistance and reduce impacts on human and environmental health. It had been previously reported by members of the public that feeding on milkweed (Asclepias spp.) would result in spotted lanternfly mortality. We tested this through no-choice experiments, in which spotted lanternflies were offered either only common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) or grape (Vitis vinifera) to feed on, followed by checks for mortality after 24 hours. We also performed choice experiments to determine if spotted lanternflies would still feed on milkweed when other hosts were made available, with checks at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 24 hours. We found that adult spotted lanternflies died at a significantly greater frequency when forced to feed on milkweed and did not show a significant preference between milkweed and grape plants. We then tested to see if feeding on several different milkweed species, including A. incarnata, A. tuberosa, and A. speciosa would lead to spotted lanternfly mortality, and found that they did cause significant higher mortality than feeding on grape. This could indicate that, in addition to providing important resources for native species, milkweed plantings could help with spotted lanternfly management.