Trained dogs find invasive spotted lanternfly eggs twice as fast as humans, study finds

The effort to contain an invasive insect may soon get help from an unexpected source: everyday dogs trained for detection work.

Researchers say these dogs can find spotted lanternfly egg masses at roughly twice the pace of human experts, giving farmers and local communities a surprisingly powerful way to fight back, A-Z Animals reported.

What happened?

Spotted lanternflies have spread across 19 states, posing a major challenge for growers and the broader agricultural community.

In findings published in Zoological Science, dogs searching through thick vegetation located the pest's eggs at about double the rate achieved by human searchers.

Rather than relying on specially bred animals, the researchers trained regular dogs to pick out the scent of lanternfly egg masses and disregard other smells in the environment.

During testing, the dogs even located egg masses that human searchers had missed in crop areas that had already been checked.

Early detection is critical when it comes to spotted lanternflies. If egg masses are found before they hatch, communities have a much better chance of stopping new infestations before they spread further.

Why does it matter?

Spotted lanternflies are an invasive species that likely reached the United States in a contaminated shipping container and were first identified in Pennsylvania in 2014.

Since then, they have damaged trees and crops; they feed on sap, which weakens plants and cuts into yields.

Lower fruit production, damaged grapevines, and tree loss can ripple across local economies.

Estimates put the potential damage at $324 million per year if the pest is not brought under control, with some projections climbing even higher.

A natural detection method that outperforms visual searches could help reduce pesticide use, catch infestations sooner, and protect orchards and vineyards.

In affected areas, learning how to remove egg masses, report sightings, and take local action can also help slow the spread.

Erica Feuerbacher, a professor at Virginia Tech's School of Animal Sciences, told the American Kennel Club, per A-Z Animals, "This research found that dogs can discriminate between spotted lanternfly egg masses and other potential distractor odors and confirms that detection dogs can be used as an effective partner to help in spotted lanternfly eradication efforts."

She added, "The results from the Texas Tech lab enhanced how we are training the dog-handler teams, understanding what distractor odors, such as bark or grass, we need to train the dogs to ignore."

If the method continues to perform this well, trained dogs could become one of the strongest options for stopping lanternflies before they cause further damage.

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