The Lamm Lab participated in the 96th Entomological Society of America Eastern Branch Meeting, held in Saratoga Springs, New York, from March 14 to 17. Bringing together academics, students, and industry professionals, the conference featured presentations and activities focused on understanding insect behavior and its implications for agriculture, the environment and human livelihoods.
Dennis Baffour-Awuah, representing the Lamm Lab, delivered an oral presentation on the lab’s work on Addressing Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) and Tree of Heaven project titled Building Stronger Conversations Between Wine Producers and Scientists to Address Spotted Lanternfly. The study was co-authored by Oluwafunmilayo Ajiferuke, Dr. Alexa Lamm, Dr. Allison Byrd, Dr. Drew Harner, Dr. Gigi DiGiacomo, Dr. Julie Urban, Dr. Carrie Fearer, Dr. Anne Nielsen, and Dr. Tracy Leskey. We used a mixed-methods approach to investigate Virginia wine producers’ SLF management characteristics, as well as their attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control to provide insights on how we most effectively communicate with producers about SLF.
The results indicated that, despite some variation, growers spent up to $50,000 annually to manage Spotted Lanternfly at different stages, from nymph to adult. They showed neither positive nor negative attitudes toward assessing their control methods but reported strong subjective norms, meaning they highly consider the opinions of neighbors, customers, and peers when making management choices. While growers displayed confidence in their ability to control SLF, they faced challenges such as increasing management costs, a lack of clear guidance, and unpredictable weather conditions. Regarding communication, growers preferred webinars, grower meetings, and centralized sources like websites and blogs, with a preference for messages delivered in visual formats.
This case study on Virginia wine growers offers insights for researchers and extension professionals aiming to craft clear and effective SLF management communication strategies. It emphasizes the role of leveraging growers’ social networks for information dissemination and the importance of using preferred communication channels to share timely updates. This approach benefits not only the affected regions but also states that have not yet experienced SLF infestation.