The spotted lanternfly’s ability to reproduce is significantly reduced when fed exclusively on grapevines

The invasive spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) poses a significant threat to the US grape and wine industry. Spotted lanternfly feeding affects crop yield and fruit quality while increasing production costs through the increased use of insecticides for its management. This insect has a broad host range with tree of heaven and grapevines being preferred hosts. Although spotted lanternfly can develop when feeding solely on grapevines, the extent to which different grape cultivars support its survival and reproduction is less clear. We investigated the effect of grapevines and tree of heaven diets on spotted lanternfly survival, development, and reproduction. We fed nymphs and adults on either single or mixed diets of tree of heaven and 4 grapevine cultivars: 'Cabernet Franc' (Vitis vinifera), 'Chardonnay' (V. vinifera), 'Concord' (V. labrusca), and 'Sugargate' (Muscadinia rotundifolia). We found that single Sugargate diets supported spotted lanternfly development only to the fourth-instar stage. The development time was consistent across diet treatments, but reproduction varied significantly. Spotted lanternfly fed exclusively on grapevines had limited reproductive capability, with only 2 out of 5 females in the Chardonnay treatment laying a single egg mass each, averaging 13 eggs. While spotted lanternflies fed on mixed diets or single tree of heaven laid an average of 2.53 egg masses and 89.7 eggs per female. In conclusion, some single grapevine diets support development to adulthood but reproduction is limited without tree of heaven. This suggests that reducing tree of heaven near vineyards could help growers manage spotted lanternfly populations and minimize crop damage.