Under the mentorship of Dr. Matthew Helmus, Dr. Stefani Cannon recently published the first chapter of her Ph.D. thesis examining how the invasive spotted lanternfly influences invertebrate communities with their honeydew secretions. The study primarily focuses on the main consumers documented, several species of Hymenoptera, and found that spotted lanternfly biomass was the strongest predictor of Hymenoptera community composition. These findings suggest that spotted lanternfly honeydew can provide native pollinators and parasitoids with food in times of need, while also supporting invasive species.
This work was recently featured in Entomology Today, where Ed Ricciuti highlighted how this sugary secretion has the potential to subsidize and reshape food webs, with cascading effects on pollination and other ecosystem services.
Photo credit: Stefani Cannon
Cannon, SL & MR Helmus. 2025. Honeydew and feeding-wound exudate from invasive spotted lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) on invasive tree-of-heaven (Sapindales: Simaroubaceae) subsidize North American pollinators, parasitoids, and other invertebrates. Environmental Entomology, 54(6): 1216-1230.