Subject Area
Biology
Description
The spotted lanternfly is an invasive bug that has recently started taking over the Northeastern US, and has even made it to Rhode Island. Although this species is intriguing with its bright red back and spots, it is hurting native plant species and the agriculture industry by feeding on crops, like grapes and cherries. It uses a tongue-like mouthpart to pierce through the plant and feed directly on the sap inside. This punctures plant stems and causes them to drip sap, wither, and even mold. The lanternfly’s most preferred host plant is the invasive tree-of-heaven, which grows and spreads quickly due to its ability to thrive in unconventional habitats like urban areas. My goal is to determine what nutrients the spotted lanternfly relies on and what habitats are suitable for them. To do so, I focused on sites in Rhode Island and Eastern Massachusetts that have tree-of-heaven. I used an elemental analyzer, which measured the carbon and nitrogen levels in the samples, to compare the nutritional value of three preferred host plants (tree-of-heaven, birch, and wild grape) and three less-preferred plants (dogwood, white pine, and sassafras). These data will be used to prioritize sites for invasive species surveys. Summer research funded by the Southeastern New England Educational and Charitable Foundation, presented at the RI Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Publisher
Providence College
Date
Summer 7-31-2023
Type
Poster
Format
Text
Language
English
