Spotted lanternfly surveillance: Comparing visual surveys and two trap designs

Spotted lanternfly (SLF) (Lycorma delicatula (White)), an invasive planthopper, was first detected in the US in 2014 and has since spread to 18 states, including Michigan where SLF was detected in 2022. Although tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is the preferred SLF host nymphs and adults can feed on many tree species. High densities of SLF excrete copious amounts of honeydew, leading to black sooty mold and unpleasant conditions for residents. Visual surveys and circle traps, which passively capture SLF moving up tree trunks, are widely used for SLF detection and monitoring, but efficacy of circle traps at low SLF densities is a concern. Lampshade traps, also affixed to tree trunks, may attract ovipositing females, concentrating egg masses, potentially increasing successful detection and facilitating egg mass removal. In 2024 and 2025, we conducted visual surveys and deployed both trap types on A. altissima trees at nine locations in southern Michigan and northern Ohio ranging from heavily infested sites to uninfested areas at high risk of SLF establishment. Equal numbers of circle and lampshade traps were positioned 1.3 m above ground and 3-4 m high. Timed visual surveys and SLF life stages captured in circle traps were recorded biweekly and egg masses were recorded on trees above, below and within lampshade traps. Egg masses harvested from lampshade traps were observed until hatch. Results will enable us to compare relative efficiency and efficacy of visual surveys and the two trap designs.