16 August 2024

Though the number of adult spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula) is growing this month in Pittsburgh, their population does not match the invasion we saw a year ago. Among the many reasons for this happy news is that local bugs are eating them.

On Wednesday Kalehism Kheshgi found a small praying mantis eating a spotted lanternfly on Carnegie Mellon’s campus.

Several species of praying mantids were imported for pest control: Green ones are from Europe, brown ones are from China. If the brown mantids have deep ancestral knowledge, they will recognize the lanternfly as food from home. 😉

Spiders, yellowjackets, wheel bugs and birds (including northern cardinals!) all eat spotted lanternflies. For photos of the devouring, see this 2022 article.