by DEVIN BATES, NBC 10 NEWS

Wed, August 12, 2026 at 5:31 PM

Updated Wed, August 12, 2026 at 5:32 PM

(WJAR) — Researchers at the University of Rhode Island's Biocontrol Lab are studying potential strategies to combat the spread of the invasive spotted lanternfly, including a parasitic wasp that might help control the population.

The spotted lanternfly first arrived in Rhode Island in 2021, and while it poses no danger to humans, it can be harmful to local trees and fruit orchards.

A large part of the population's spread has been owed to the fact it has no known natural predators in the area.

Lisa Tewksbury, Director of the Biocontrol Lab at URI, said her team's research has centered around whether a certain species of wasp native to China, Dryinus sinicus, would go after the state's spotted lanternfly population.

"When we have our gardens, there are always ladybugs, beetles, wasps and other things that help us with our pests, so that's the same thing here," Tewksbury said. "It's just trying to reunite the natural enemy from the native area with the pests now in the invaded area."

The wasp attacks the spotted lanternfly in its nymph stage, potentially keeping the population in check in way that doesn't require the use of harmful pesticides.

"I think when people hear 'pest' they think to use pesticides," said Research Assistant Julia Bentz. "There's a lot of other steps you can take that are more environmentally friendly and honestly safer and more targeted to your pest. If you have a predator that you can release that controls the population, that's a great alternative."

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The research is funded by the USDA, and it's also looking to ensure there aren't any other unintended consequences that could come with releasing these wasps into the wild.

"They test them in petri dishes with the wasp, and up to this point, this wasp from China has not parasitized any species other than the spotted lanternfly," Tewksbury said.

Researchers are also trying to find out if there's any other local bugs that could be helpful in shrinking the spotted lanternfly population.

"What native insects here could potentially attack the spotted lanternfly that would maybe make it not necessary to bring something in?" Tewksbury said.

The spotted lanternfly prefers the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management recommends removing these trees if they're present in your yard.