Researchers at Virginia Tech have found that dogs can effectively detect the invasive spotted lanternfly, offering a promising method to combat its spread.
Catching the spotted lanternfly early is crucial, yet locating its eggs can be quite challenging. This is where dogs, with their exceptional sense of smell, come into play.
Researchers at Virginia Tech have revealed that man’s best friend may also serve as one of nature’s best defenses against this invasive pest. For the first time, a study demonstrates that pet dogs can assist in halting the rapid spread of the spotted lanternfly.
The spotted lanternfly feeds on various plants and excretes a sugary substance known as honeydew, which encourages mold growth. Due to their destructive nature, some states have initiated campaigns urging residents to stomp on them whenever they are spotted. However, experts assert that the real solution lies in eliminating their egg masses, which can be difficult to find as they often resemble dried mud and blend in with their surroundings.
“Dogs have one dominant sense. It’s their nose. We use our eyes. Dogs use their nose like their eyes,” said Katie Thomas, a participant in the study.
Thomas, along with her nine-year-old pit bull mix, Finch, took part in the study, aiming to leverage their years of recreational scent work for a greater cause. They underwent both indoor and outdoor tests, successfully sniffing out egg masses, with Finch earning rewards for accurate detections.
“To be able to do things that we already do, that we are having a lot of fun with… train our dogs to sniff stuff, being able to apply that to something like a real problem that affects our community is really fulfilling,” Thomas expressed.
The spotted lanternfly is native to Asia and was first identified in the United States in Pennsylvania over a decade ago. Since then, it has spread to 19 states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
“They are everywhere, and we need to search out the eggs. The problem is it’s too late once we have the lanternfly,” noted Carolyn Shelburne, another study participant.
Shelburne and her nine-year-old border collie, Hermes, were among the first five K9-handler teams to successfully pass their field tests. In total, 182 volunteer teams across the United States participated in the study.
During indoor tests, dogs identified the scent of the lanternfly correctly more than 80% of the time. In real-world outdoor tests, dogs still performed admirably, identifying the scent correctly more than 60% of the time, which is significantly better than most human searches.
“Hopefully, more people will see that you can train any dog to do this, and it gives you something fun to do with your dog,” Shelburne added.
Researchers are optimistic that this is just the beginning for dogs in protecting local environments. Even in regions where spotted lanternflies are not currently a problem, dogs could be trained to detect other invasive species.
Source: Original article