Evaluating the effectiveness of participatory science dog teams to detect devitalized Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) egg masses

dc.contributor.authorDickinson, Sallyen
dc.contributor.authorNita, Mizuhoen
dc.contributor.authorAviles-Rosa, Edgar O.en
dc.contributor.authorHall, Nathanen
dc.contributor.authorFeuerbacher, Erica N.en
dc.date.accessioned2025-07-22T13:25:17Zen
dc.date.available2025-07-22T13:25:17Zen
dc.date.issued2025-07-16en
dc.description.abstractThe spotted lanternfly (<i>Lycorma delicatula</i>, 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.en
dc.description.sponsorshipThis project was supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. Competitive Grant no. 2021-67013-33715 from the Tactical Sciences for Agricultural Biosecurity from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.en
dc.description.versionPublished versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationDickinson S, Nita M, Aviles-Rosa EO, Hall N, Feuerbacher EN. 2025. Evaluating the effectiveness of participatory science dog teams to detect devitalized Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) egg masses. PeerJ 13:e19656 http://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19656en
dc.identifier.doihttp://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19656en
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10919/136876en
dc.identifier.volume13en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherPeerJen
dc.rightsCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en
dc.subjectSpotted lanternflyen
dc.subjectConservation detection dogsen
dc.subjectDetection dogs evaluationsen
dc.subjectParticipatory scienceen
dc.subjectCommunity scienceen
dc.subjectInvasive species detectionen
dc.titleEvaluating the effectiveness of participatory science dog teams to detect devitalized Spotted Lanternfly (<i>Lycorma delicatula</i>) egg massesen
dc.title.serialPeerJen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten

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