Multiple paternity in the invasive spotted lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae)

Abstract

In biological invasions, multiple paternity can preserve genetic diversity over time and space and contribute to invasion success. Therefore, knowledge on the mating system of invasive species is essential to develop adequate management practices to mitigate their impact on ecosystems. The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White, 1845), is an invasive pest that has colonized more than 10 eastern US states in less than 10 yr. Multiple paternity may contribute to its success, but little is known about spotted lanternfly’s mating system. We explored the mating system using mated females and female–egg mass pairs sampled in the field. First, we assessed the existence of multiple mating by counting the number of spermatophores in the genital tract of all females. Second, we searched for genetic evidence for multiple paternity within egg masses by genotyping the female–egg mass pairs at 7 microsatellite loci. Third, we assessed whether multiple mating was correlated with female traits and distance from the introduction site. One to 3 spermatophores per female were found during dissections, confirming the existence of polyandrous female spotted lanternfly. We found genetic evidence for a minimum of 2 fathers in 4 egg masses associated with polyandrous females, validating multiple paternity in spotted lanternfly. Multiple paternity was associated with egg mass size, and multiple paternity was highest in populations closest to the original introduction site and decreased toward the invasion front. Multiple paternity may contribute to the invasion success of spotted lanternfly, and control efforts should consider the mating system and the implications of its spatial patterns.

Quantifying population resistance to climatic variability: The invasive spotted lanternfly grape pest is buffered against temperature extremes in California

“…Stakeholders should be aware that actual SLF growth can exceed predictions made by models that only look at average temperatures, but also models that include stochasticity without other processes like adaptation. While daily temporal patterns can cause outbreaks and declines that are uniform across regions, such climate-driven, macroscale variation of growth rate can interact with the adaptive potentials of populations and individual fitness (Belouard and Behm, 2023a). Furthermore, fitness varies at multiple scales due to landscape context (Ramirez et al, 2023).…”

Radio Telemetry and Harmonic Radar Tracking of the Spotted Lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White) (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae)

“…After mating, females continue feeding as their ovaries develop and their abdomens swell, hindering flight [55], and they may still be courted by virgin males even as some descend to lower heights (Figure 7A). A fraction of mated females may mate again, but male genitalia remain in the female reproductive tract, limiting males to only one mate and resulting in post-copulation mortality [81]. Oviposition begins roughly 1 week after mating, and females may deposit multiple egg masses [82].…”