The Lamm Lab is leading the human dimensions aspect of a groundbreaking project aimed at managing the invasive Tree of Heaven and the spotted lanternfly. This interdisciplinary, multi-institutional, five-year grant from the USDA Agricultural Research Service seeks to mitigate the ecological and economic impacts of these invasive species across the eastern United States by integrating biological control agents and areawide management principles. The goal is to suppress populations of both invasive species, enhance ecosystem health, reduce insecticide use, and mitigate yield losses. The project represents a significant step forward in sustainable pest management and environmental conservation.
Tree of Heaven, introduced to the U.S. in the late 1700s, has become widespread, thriving in poor soil and disturbed areas. This invasive tree supports the survivorship and development of the spotted lanternfly, an insect that first arrived in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has since spread to 17 states. The spotted lanternfly’s preference for Tree of Heaven as a feeding host has led to significant pest reservoirs, affecting vineyards and other agricultural sectors.
Overall the project aims to:
- Deliver Verticillium nonalfalfae to Tree of Heaven under field conditions and document its spread by the spotted lanternfly.
- Utilize commercially available entomopathogens, such as Beauveria bassiana fungus and entomopathogenic nematodes, to suppress spotted lanternfly in the field.
- Conduct field-based evaluations of complementary biological control agents against Tree of Heaven and spotted lanternfly at an areawide scale.
By integrating a sociologist/communication specialist and an applied economist to work directly with producers wrestling with Tree of Heaven and spotted lanternfly, the team aims to overcome barriers to adoption and promote widespread implementation of the integrated pest management solutions they develop and test. The multi-million-dollar project titled Leveraging biological control agents to simultaneously reduce populations of Spotted Lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, and Tree of Heaven, Ailanthus altissima at an Areawide Scale is led by Dr. Tracy Leskey, Director and Research Leader at the USDA-ARS Appalachian Fruit Research Station.
