Evaluating Dryinus sinicus, a nymphal parasitoid of spotted lanternfly and a promising biological control agent

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

10:26 AM - 10:43 AM Pacific

Location: Oregon Convention Center, D137-138, OCC

Presenting Author(s)

LT

Lisa Tewksbury

University of Rhode Island
Kingston, Rhode Island

Co-Author(s)

HB

Hannah Broadley

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Forest Pest Methods Laboratory
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
SS

Steven Sipolski

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Forest Pest Methods Laboratory
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
CL

Corrine Losch

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Forest Pest Methods Laboratory
Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts
GW

Greg J. Wiggins (he/him/his)

Biological Control Administrator
North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
Cary, North Carolina
CB

Charles Bartlett

University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware
XW

Xingeng Wang

USDA-ARS
Newark, Delaware
DT

Dana Terrill

University of Rhode Island, Department of Plant Science and Entomology
Kingston, Rhode Island
AJ

Alexandra Johnson (she/her/hers)

PhD Student
University of Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island

The spotted lanternfly Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) is a planthopper species first discovered as invasive in Pennsylvania in 2014. There are now populations in 18 states and additional spread is expected. Spotted lanternfly has a broad host range and negatively impacts vineyards, nurseries, orchards, and hops. Some mortality from resident fungal pathogens, egg parasitoids, and predation have been noted but the incidences are too rare to result in consequential mortality rates. In its native range in China, several parasitic wasps attack spotted lanternfly eggs and nymphs and cause significant mortality. A classical biological control program would contribute to management efforts and is being led by USDA APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Science and Technology. The primary candidate agent for biological control is the nymphal parasitoid Dryinus sinicus (Hymenoptera: Dryinidae). It is an ectoparasitic koinobiont and inflicts mortality through both host-feeding and parasitization. To determine if this candidate biocontrol agent is host-specific, will not adversely affect native species, and is suitable for release, highly controlled host specificity testing is underway. We are evaluating physiological host range through no-choice evaluations. If attack is noted for a species, then choice tests will be conducted. While the data is still preliminary, the tests are showing D. sinicus to be host-specific.