Evaluating the effectiveness of participatory science dog teams to detect devitalized Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) egg masses
The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula, SLF) is an invasive planthopper first detected in the United States in 2014, with initial sightings in Pennsylvania. SLF poses a serious threat to agriculture, particularly targeting grapevines, hops, and ornamental plants, resulting in substantial annual...
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PeerJ Inc.
2025-07-01
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| author | Sally Dickinson Mizuho Nita Edgar O. Aviles-Rosa Nathan Hall Erica N. Feuerbacher |
| author_facet | Sally Dickinson Mizuho Nita Edgar O. Aviles-Rosa Nathan Hall Erica N. Feuerbacher |
| author_sort | Sally Dickinson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula, SLF) is an invasive planthopper first detected in the United States in 2014, with initial sightings in Pennsylvania. SLF poses a serious threat to agriculture, particularly targeting grapevines, hops, and ornamental plants, resulting in substantial annual economic losses. Due to its life cycle, the early detection and removal of egg masses are the most effective strategies for preventing long-distance dispersal. However, visual detection by humans is time-consuming and inefficient. Detection dogs have demonstrated high accuracy in locating SLF egg masses and differentiating them from environmental distractors. Despite their effectiveness, the number of dogs available through governmental channels is insufficient to meet demand. This study evaluated whether community scientist dog-handler teams could meet standardized detection criteria using SLF egg masses. Teams from across the U.S. were recruited and trained using devitalized egg masses, with oversight provided by local trainers. Following a 3- to 6-month independent training period, team performance was assessed through an odor recognition test and a field trial. Dogs demonstrated a sensitivity of 82% in controlled testing and 58% in field conditions. These results provide proof of concept; community scientist dog teams could play a significant role in protecting their local environments and agriculture from invasive species. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-754d95f9d23043a580080bb7d3bf89bb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-754d95f9d23043a580080bb7d3bf89bb2025-08-20T03:28:01ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592025-07-0113e1965610.7717/peerj.19656Evaluating the effectiveness of participatory science dog teams to detect devitalized Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) egg massesSally Dickinson0Mizuho Nita1Edgar O. Aviles-Rosa2Nathan Hall3Erica N. Feuerbacher4School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA, United States of AmericaSchool of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Winchester, VA, United States of AmericaAnimal and Food Science Department, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States of AmericaAnimal and Food Science Department, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States of AmericaSchool of Animal Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA, United States of AmericaThe spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula, SLF) is an invasive planthopper first detected in the United States in 2014, with initial sightings in Pennsylvania. SLF poses a serious threat to agriculture, particularly targeting grapevines, hops, and ornamental plants, resulting in substantial annual economic losses. Due to its life cycle, the early detection and removal of egg masses are the most effective strategies for preventing long-distance dispersal. However, visual detection by humans is time-consuming and inefficient. Detection dogs have demonstrated high accuracy in locating SLF egg masses and differentiating them from environmental distractors. Despite their effectiveness, the number of dogs available through governmental channels is insufficient to meet demand. This study evaluated whether community scientist dog-handler teams could meet standardized detection criteria using SLF egg masses. Teams from across the U.S. were recruited and trained using devitalized egg masses, with oversight provided by local trainers. Following a 3- to 6-month independent training period, team performance was assessed through an odor recognition test and a field trial. Dogs demonstrated a sensitivity of 82% in controlled testing and 58% in field conditions. These results provide proof of concept; community scientist dog teams could play a significant role in protecting their local environments and agriculture from invasive species.https://peerj.com/articles/19656.pdfSpotted lanternflyConservation detection dogsDetection dogs evaluationsParticipatory scienceCommunity scienceInvasive species detection |
| spellingShingle | Sally Dickinson Mizuho Nita Edgar O. Aviles-Rosa Nathan Hall Erica N. Feuerbacher Evaluating the effectiveness of participatory science dog teams to detect devitalized Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) egg masses PeerJ Spotted lanternfly Conservation detection dogs Detection dogs evaluations Participatory science Community science Invasive species detection |
| title | Evaluating the effectiveness of participatory science dog teams to detect devitalized Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) egg masses |
| title_full | Evaluating the effectiveness of participatory science dog teams to detect devitalized Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) egg masses |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating the effectiveness of participatory science dog teams to detect devitalized Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) egg masses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating the effectiveness of participatory science dog teams to detect devitalized Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) egg masses |
| title_short | Evaluating the effectiveness of participatory science dog teams to detect devitalized Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) egg masses |
| title_sort | evaluating the effectiveness of participatory science dog teams to detect devitalized spotted lanternfly lycorma delicatula egg masses |
| topic | Spotted lanternfly Conservation detection dogs Detection dogs evaluations Participatory science Community science Invasive species detection |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/19656.pdf |
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