Anastasis, a tiny wasp, could serve to control spotted lantern fly populations
threatening important agricultural crops. Credit: Robert Nehme Malek/University of
Toronto
Around 44% of nonnative insects arriving
in California were first established
elsewhere in the U.S. Given the speed with
which the spotted lantern fly has spread,
Hoddle realized the state needed a
proactive approach to this predictable
problem.
"Normally, when a bug shows up, we try
to contain and eradicate it," Hoddle said.
"But by the time the population is found,
it tends to already be widespread and hard
to handle."
needle-like appendage it uses to lay its
own eggs inside the lantern fly's eggs.
While developing, the wasp larvae eat and
kill their hosts, and then emerge after
chewing escape holes through the lantern
fly eggs.
These wasps pose no threat to plants or
people, but before they can be used to
control the lantern fly, Hoddle must prove
they won't cause unnecessary harm to
other native insects. "We can't just release
a Chinese parasite into the wild in
California," Hoddle said. "Chances are low
it will harm the wrong targets, but we have
to be sure."
The state Department of Food and
Agriculture recently granted Hoddle
$544,000 to test whether a tiny parasitic
wasp, also originally from China, could be Safety testing will be conducted in a highly
the solution to the looming problem. secure quarantine facility at UC
Hoddle explained that the wasp has a
20 WESTERN PALLET