Delaware Scientists Make Headway in Combating Spotted Lanternflies

Scientists in Delaware have found two tiny parasitic wasps in China that specifically seek out and attack adolescent lanternflies, an invasive species from Asia that feeds on the sap of more than 70 plant species, leaving them susceptible to disease and destruction from other pests. The goal is to find a natural predator capable of controlling the invasive species before the spotted lanternflies do more damage to American agriculture, especially grape growers. However, it takes years of testing to prove they prefer lanternflies to other insects, and they are still a couple of years away from getting government permission to release these wasps in the wild.