A review of biology and management of Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), an emerging global invasive species

Abstract

Lycorma delicatula (White) (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) is an invasive species inflicting damage to agricultural and forest systems. This species is native to China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Lycorma delicatula was accidentally introduced into South Korea and Japan, with outbreaks reported since mid-2000s. More recently, this pest was found in Pennsylvania, USA, and its geographical distribution has steadily expanded since the introduction with increasing population densities in the USA. This species is univoltine in invaded regions and overwinters in the egg stage. Lycorma delicatula is known to attack at least 65 host plants, and so-called preferred host plants such as Ailanthus altissima and Vitis vinifera are present in all invaded countries. This species threatens grape industries in China, South Korea, and USA, with the impact on other crops still unknown, at least in the USA. For monitoring this pest, light or pheromone traps have not yet been developed, but using sticky tree bands may serve as a promising tool. To date, visual survey is the primary means for detecting L. delicatula and studying their population dynamics. To control L. delicatula, several studies evaluated conventional insecticides. Under field conditions, chlorpyrifos, dinotefuran, etofenprox, and etofenprox + diazinon yielded high levels of mortality against this pest. In general, environmentally-friendly materials, registered as Environmentally-Friendly Agricultural Material in South Korea, resulted in lower insecticidal efficacy against L. delicatula compared with conventional chemicals. Natural enemies of L. delicatula such as egg parasitoids in the genus Anastatus and Dryinus are promising candidates as a long-term solution for management.