They’re tiny, winged, and capable of destroying fruit trees and hardwoods by the thousands—but thanks to some sharp-nosed pups, the spotted lanternfly might finally have met its match.
In an innovative twist to pest control, researchers and conservationists are now enlisting trained dogs to sniff out the egg masses of spotted lanternflies, an invasive species that’s rapidly spread across the eastern and mid-western United States. These canine detectives are helping stop the insect before it even hatches—and so far, their noses are proving to be game-changers.
Meet the Pest
First detected in the U.S. in 2014, the spotted lanternfly hails from southeastern Asia and has since wreaked havoc on American trees and crops. These leaf-hopping bugs feed on the sap of over 70 plant species, including grapes, fruit trees, hops, and hardwoods. Though harmless to people and pets, they leave behind a sticky residue that can damage plants and attract mold.
Worse, their spread is hard to stop. Each mud-colored egg mass can hatch 30 to 50 lanternflies, and the insects can lay these masses on just about anything—tree bark, rocks, fence posts, even the underside of cars.
According to the Invasive Species Centre, black walnut, willow and maple trees are especially sensitive to the lanternfly. If the Asian lanternfly does not successfully kill a tree it can still make it vulnerable to infection from other insects.
Dogs to the Rescue
To get ahead of the infestation, four specially trained dogs are now working with Cleveland Metroparks, combing through public areas to find and report egg masses before they hatch.
“They all have wonderful noses, but they’re not all eligible,” said Connie Hausman, senior conservation science manager for Cleveland Metroparks. “They had to pass tests to prove their service.”
The dogs were trained through a project led by Virginia Tech, in partnership with Texas Tech University, and funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant. The program—informally called the Canine Citizen Science Study—enlisted dog owners whose pups already had basic scent training. The dogs were then taught to detect the unique odor of spotted lanternfly egg masses.
Once a dog locates an egg mass, they’re rewarded with a treat and their human handler scrapes the eggs off to prevent hatching. So far, the Cleveland canines have sniffed out over 4,000 egg masses—potentially stopping around 200,000 lanternflies before they ever took flight.
Local Heroes on the Ground
Flint, a border collie, is one of the top-performing pups. Trained by his owner, Virginia Tech student, Sally Dickinson, Flint works tirelessly during outings to the university’s agricultural center and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. She encourages dog owners to train their dog to do the same, being that it does not matter the breed of the dog, just their capability at sniffing out the eggs.
“There’s plenty of research that shows all dogs can smell,” Dickinson said. “Even dogs with flatter faces can participate—it just might be shorter shifts.”
The spotted lanternfly lays eggs from late summer through the first frost. While the adults die in winter, the eggs can survive the cold, making detection vital to stop the cycle.
A Nose Ahead of the Problem
With the spotted lanternfly still spreading, researchers hope more trained dogs—and their humans—will join the effort. For now, thanks to a few eager snouts and a lot of teamwork, this unlikely crew is putting a dent in one of America’s most stubborn pest problems.
Because sometimes, it takes a good dog to sniff out a bad bug.
