10/11/2023 0 Comments Lantern fly eggs![]() ![]() The work at Texas Tech has yielded fascinating results. Hall’s lab has done a lot of work determining the thresholds of detection, meaning how much or how little odor is needed for the dog to be able to detect it, and what are the common odors that might easily be mistaken for the target and distract the dog,” Dickinson explains. Nathan Hall, associate professor of companion animal science at Texas Tech, supervises the Canine Olfaction Research and Education Laboratory. Partnering with Texas Tech University, Nita and Feuerbacher are working to evaluate how well scent detection dogs can detect the presence of spotted lanternfly eggs and the plant-killing disease known as powdery mildew. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a four-year grant to researchers, including Nita and professor at the School of Animal Sciences Erica Feuerbacher. “Dogs are particularly effective in detecting odors,” says Sally Dickinson, Flint’s owner and a doctoral candidate at Virginia Tech’s School of Animal Sciences. These insects can also lay eggs on a variety of different surfaces, from wood to rock and metal, which makes them challenging to find and get rid of.ĭetecting spotted lanternfly egg masses is where dogs and their extraordinary sense of smell come in. People can’t easily root out eggs on their own, partly because it’s hard for human eyes to detect tiny spotted lanternfly eggs, Nita explains. “Also, it will help growers to prepare for the next season and lower the risk that they’ll need to use unnecessary pesticide sprays.” How Can Dogs Help Root Out Spotted Lanternflies? “Early detection of the eggs is critical because by destroying eggs, we can slow the spread of the spotted lanternflies in the area,” explains Nita. So a good way to get rid of the pests is to find and eliminate their egg masses. And because of these widespread infestations, spotted lanternflies can potentially ruin entire crops (such as grapes) and even local ecosystems.Īlthough the adult insects die out over the winter, the eggs survive. The spotted lanternfly has even been spotted as far west as Indiana and as far south as North Carolina. Initially spotted in Pennsylvania in 2014, the insect has spread to Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Connecticut, and Delaware, reports Mizuho Nita, associate professor at Virginia Tech’s School for Plant and Environmental Sciences. Immature and adult spotted lanternflies also leave a sticky-sweet residue called “honeydew,” which attracts other pests and promotes mold growth. Spotted lanternflies are attracted to more than 70 species of trees and plants, and they drain trees or plants of essential nutrients. The spotted lanternfly (scientific name “Lycorma delicatula”) is native to mainland China. Trained in scent detection, Flint and his owner are contributing to the research, training, and recruitment for a study investigating how effectively dogs can detect spotted lanternfly eggs.Īnd the payment Flint requires for his hard work? A game of fetch with his favorite blue bouncy ball. One pioneering spotted lanternfly-detecting dog is a Border Collie named Flint. Over the past few years, their noses have been coming in handy to detect infestations of spotted lanternflies. Dogs use their keen senses of smell to help humans in many ways.
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