Lycorma delicatula

TaxID: 130591

Basic Information

Lycorma delicatula

Chinese Blistering Cicada, Spotted Lanternfly, spotted lanternfly

The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a species of planthopper indigenous to parts of China and Vietnam. It was accidentally introduced into South Korea and has spread invasively to Japan and the United States, where it is often referred to by the acronym "SLF". Its preferred host is the also invasive tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), but it also feeds on other trees, and on crops including soybean, grapes, stone fruits, and Malus species. In its native habitat, L. delicatula populations are regulated by parasitic wasps. The spotted lanternfly's life cycle is often centered on its preferred host, Ailanthus altissima, but L. delicatula can associate with more than 173 plants. Early life stages (instars) of the spotted lanternfly are characterized by spotted black and white nymphs that develop a red pigmentation and wings as they mature. Early life instars have a large host range that narrows with maturation. Adult spotted lanternflies have a black head, grey wings, and red hind wings. Adults do not have any specialized feeding associations with herbaceous plants but cause extensive damage to crops and ornamental plants. The piercing wounds caused by their mouthparts and the honeydew waste they excrete are harmful to the health of host plants. They feed on the sap of host plants, including the tree of heaven, which is also invasive in the United States. Unlike some invasive insects, the spotted lanternfly does not pose direct danger to humans through biting or stinging. Spotted lanternflies lay egg masses containing 30 C50 eggs, often covered with a grayish mud-like coating. The species was introduced into South Korea in 2006 and Japan in 2009, where it has since been considered a pest. L. delicatula is also referred to as the spot clothing wax cicada ("chu-ki" or "banyi-la-chan" in Chinese) and the Chinese blistering cicada ("ggot-mae-mi" ??? in Korean). It is also referred to as the red-bellied flycatcher ( ??? in Japanese), spotted fulgora (fulgore tachet in French), and the spotted lantern (chinche linterna manchada in Spanish). In September 2014, L. delicatula was first recorded in the United States, and as of 2022, it is considered an invasive species in much of the Northeastern United States and is rapidly spreading south and west. L. delicatula's egg masses are the primary vector of spread, with Ailanthus altissima populations seen as a risk factor for further infestation globally. Ongoing pest control efforts have sought to limit population growth, due to the threat L. delicatula poses to global agricultural industries. Parts of the United States are undergoing massive pest control efforts to cull the spotted lanternfly's population. However, this process indirectly harms other species.

from Wikipedia

Taxonomic Information

Metazoa

Arthropoda

Insecta

Hemiptera

Fulgoridae

Lycorma

delicatula

unclassified

Photos (5 photos)

Lycorma delicatula
c
(c) WanderingMogwai@BY-SA
Lycorma delicatula
c
(c) 藜梓柠@BY-NC
Lycorma delicatula
c
(c) celestes@BY-NC
Lycorma delicatula
c
(c) Sakern | 永隔一江水@BY-NC
Lycorma delicatula
c
(c) Sakern | 永隔一江水@BY-NC

Morphological Features

No morphological description available.

Host Plants (165 host plants)

Data sources: EPPO Global Database and relevant literature.

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Quarantine Status (37 records)

Data sources: IPPC website and national quarantine websites; verified by human review.

Country Status Year Added
Australia Quarantine pests —
Austria Quarantine pest ((EU) 2019/2072 Annex II A) 2021
Belgium Unknow 2021
Bulgaria Quarantine pest ((EU) 2019/2072 Annex II A) 2021
Canada Quarantine pests 2019
Switzerland A1 list 2022
Chile A1 list 2024
Cyprus Quarantine pest ((EU) 2019/2072 Annex II A) 2021
Czechia Quarantine pests 2021
Germany Quarantine pest ((EU) 2019/2072 Annex II A) 2021
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Distribution (15 countries)

Data Sources: EPPO Global Database and GBIF.

9
Present
6
Absent
0
Unknown/Other
Country Status State
Bangladesh Absent —
Cambodia Absent —
Canada Present —
China Present
India Absent —
Japan Present
Republic of Korea Present —
Lao People's Democratic Republic Absent —
Mexico Present —
Netherlands Absent —
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Distribution Map (Latitude and longitude coordinates sourced from GBIF.)

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Genomes (3 records)

Data source: NCBI.

Assembly Accession Assembly Level Genome Size(Mb) Contig N50(Kb) Scaffold N50(Kb) BUSCO% Downloads Actions
GCF_047948215.1 Chromosome - - - - -
GCA_047948205.1 Chromosome - - - - -
GCA_040954635.1 Chromosome - - - - -

Transcriptomes (3 records)

Data source: NCBI.

Run ID Tissue Developmental Stage Sex Read Count Location Actions
SRR31411875 Head Adult - 45191995 USA:Queens
SRR31411874 Legs Adult - 38026193 USA:Queens
SRR31411873 Head Adult - 37254334 USA:Queens

DNA Barcodes (0 records)

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Data source: BOLD.

No DNA barcode records available.

Literature