A device for inducing leucinodes orbus to lay eggs in a concentrated manner and a method of use

Abstract

The present application belongs to the field of biological control of forestry pests, and discloses an oviposition device for attracting and concentrating leucinodes orichalcea and a use method. The oviposition device comprises an inner layer of oviposition cloth, an outer layer of oviposition cloth, a top layer and an inner layer. The top layer is tied on the inner layer of oviposition cloth by a tie, the inner layer is fixed on the inner layer of oviposition cloth by a tie, and the outer layer of oviposition cloth is fixed on the top layer by a drawing pin. The inner layer of oviposition cloth, the outer layer of oviposition cloth and the top layer are combined to form a cylindrical cover, which is an oviposition space. The oviposition device used in the present application can efficiently attract and concentrate leucinodes orichalcea, thereby reducing the number of egg masses laid on host plants, and further reducing the damage of leucinodes orichalcea in the forest, effectively solving the problem of damage to trees caused by pruning and removing egg masses in the traditional control method and spraying pesticides during the period of mass occurrence of larvae.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of biological control of forest pests, specifically relating to a device for attracting spotted lanternflies to lay eggs in a concentrated manner and its usage method. Background Technology

[0002] The spotted lanternfly is a common pest, primarily damaging plants such as ailanthus, Chinese toon, and grapes, causing severe losses to garden plants and fruit trees. Both nymphs and adults feed on the sap of host plants, mainly damaging young branches, tender leaves, and buds, leading to stunted plant growth and severely impacting tree development. Furthermore, the lanternfly's excrement can cause sooty mold, further hindering photosynthesis. In recent years, the damage caused by the spotted lanternfly to fruit trees, ornamental plants, and other plants has been continuously intensifying, posing a serious threat to agriculture and forestry, particularly grape cultivation, in China, South Korea, and the United States. For China, the spread of the spotted lanternfly has exacerbated trade barriers and increased quarantine costs for exports.

[0003] Currently, chemical control is the primary method for controlling spotted lanternflies in China. While chemical control can effectively control pests and diseases in the short term, its harmful effects cannot be ignored. Long-term reliance on chemical pesticides can lead to pesticide resistance in pests, reducing pesticide effectiveness and even causing outbreaks of pest populations. Pesticides can also have serious impacts on other animals and microorganisms, disrupting the ecological balance. Pesticide residues accumulate in agricultural products, enter the food chain, and may ultimately pose potential harm to human health, increasing the risk of chronic poisoning. Therefore, in modern agriculture and forestry, chemical control should be combined with integrated measures such as biological and physical control to reduce its negative impacts.

[0004] Pest traps are tools used to monitor and control pests, effectively reducing the damage they cause to plants. By using specific devices to lure spotted lanternflies to lay their eggs outside of plants, the number of eggs on the host plant can be significantly reduced, thus effectively minimizing the damage caused by spotted lanternflies.

[0005] Utility model patent CN210928869U discloses a control device for overwintering grapevine spotted lanternfly pest prevention. By setting up a rubber plate and connecting pipes to the feed hopper and rubber plate, the removal of insect eggs is facilitated. While this method is environmentally friendly, the control device has a complex structure, and manual searching of spotted lanternfly egg masses is required, which is both time-consuming and labor-intensive. Furthermore, the device has difficulty handling egg masses at higher elevations, cannot achieve comprehensive control, and has poor application flexibility and limited adaptability. The design of the device's slide rails and grooves may easily become stuck or worn during long-term use, affecting its stability and service life.

[0006] Utility model patent CN214015639U discloses a trapping ring for spotted lanternflies, which uses ultraviolet light to trap them. Adhesive tape is used to attach the lanternflies' limbs to the ring, immobilizing them and thus trapping them. While ultraviolet light can be used to trap lanternflies, this device relies on the adhesive tape on the ring to hold them in place. Once trapped, the lanternflies cannot be effectively removed, limiting the device's reusability. Although the folded design of the tape ring creates a shielding and supporting section, this structure can lead to poor stability, making the device susceptible to displacement or damage from wind or external forces, reducing its effectiveness and durability. Due to limitations in the trapping area and efficiency, it may not be able to effectively control the pest population in a short time, especially when the spotted lanternfly population is large. Furthermore, this trapping method can easily trap other beneficial insects or natural enemies, such as predatory insects and parasitic wasps. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the problems of complex structure, poor application flexibility, and low efficiency of existing devices, this invention proposes a device for attracting spotted lanternflies to lay eggs in a concentrated manner, based on the egg-laying habits of the spotted lanternfly. This device effectively attracts spotted lanternflies to lay eggs in a concentrated area by establishing a highly stable egg-laying space in the forest, thereby improving the control effect. This technical solution can efficiently attract spotted lanternflies to lay eggs in a concentrated manner, thereby reducing the number of egg masses laid on host plants and mitigating the damage caused by spotted lanternflies in the forest. It effectively solves the problems of forest damage caused by traditional control methods such as pruning branches to remove egg masses and spraying pesticides during periods of high larval infestation.

[0008] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0009] A device for attracting spotted lanternflies to lay their eggs in a concentrated manner comprises an inner egg-laying cloth, an outer egg-laying cloth, a top layer, and an inner layer. The top layer is tied to the inner egg-laying cloth with cable ties, and the inner layer is fixed to the inner egg-laying cloth with cable ties. The outer egg-laying cloth is fixed to the top layer with thumbtacks. The inner, outer, and top layers together form a cylindrical cover, which serves as the egg-laying space. The inner egg-laying cloth is secured to the tree trunk with Velcro and cable ties. The Velcro is placed 0.5cm-1cm from the edge of the inner egg-laying cloth, and the cable ties are placed 3-5cm from the bottom edge of the inner egg-laying cloth.

[0010] The inner egg-laying cloth is secured to the tree trunk at a height of approximately 1.5 meters using Velcro and cable ties, ensuring a high degree of adhesion between the cloth and the trunk. This simulates a natural environment, making it easier for the spotted lanternfly to lay its eggs. The Velcro and cable ties also prevent the inner egg-laying cloth from slipping or shifting during use, ensuring its stability and preventing any disruption to the spotted lanternfly's egg-laying behavior due to cloth movement. Furthermore, the position and tightness of the inner egg-laying cloth can be adjusted according to the size and shape of the tree trunk to achieve optimal attraction. The inner egg-laying cloth fits tightly against the tree trunk without gaps, allowing the spotted lanternfly perched on the trunk to climb onto the inner egg-laying cloth without hindrance from the bottom of the open enclosure.

[0011] The top layer is secured to the trunk 1-2 cm above the edge of the inner egg-laying cloth using 50cm long nylon cable ties, ensuring there are no gaps between the top and inner egg-laying cloths. Excess cable ties can be cut off. This design effectively prevents the spotted lanternfly from laying its eggs on the bark, instead guiding it to concentrate its eggs on the inner surfaces of the inner, middle, and top egg-laying cloths.

[0012] The inner layer is secured to the inner egg-laying cloth with 50cm long cable ties. There are two inner layers; the first inner layer is 8-12cm apart from the top layer, and the two inner layers are staggered vertically by 8-12cm, wrapping around the left and right sides of the tree trunk respectively. Excess cable ties can be cut off. Lanternflies tend to lay their eggs under eaves at a 180° angle to the ground. The design of the inner layers effectively increases the surface area available for egg-laying at this angle, thus attracting more lanternflies to lay their eggs. The two inner layers, staggered around the tree trunk by half a circle, leave enough space for the lanternflies to continue climbing upwards, allowing them to freely find suitable egg-laying locations inside the device.

[0013] The outer egg-laying cloth is secured to the top layer using 3cm long thumbtacks. This method provides strong stability, ensuring the outer egg-laying cloth adheres firmly to the top layer and is not easily detached, thus guaranteeing the long-term use and effectiveness of the device. The outer egg-laying cloth and the top layer together form a cylindrical cover, providing protection for the spotted lanternfly, preventing it from flying away after entering, and ensuring concentrated egg-laying. A 5-8cm gap is left on the side of the outer egg-laying cloth. The bottom of the cover is left open; the gap between the cover and the tree trunk is determined by the thickness of the top layer.

[0014] The lengths of the inner and outer egg-laying cloths, the top layer, and the inner layer can all be adjusted according to the trunk's diameter at breast height (DBH). This design improves the adaptability and practicality of the device, allowing for flexible setup based on different tree sizes to ensure maximum attraction of spotted lanternflies. The egg-laying device can also be adjusted according to the extent of damage in the forest. When the damage is severe, the width of the inner and outer egg-laying cloths can be increased (40-60 cm), as well as the thickness of the top and inner layers (5-10 cm), thereby expanding the egg-laying area on the inner surfaces of the egg-laying cloths, top layer, and inner layer, and consequently increasing the length of the outer egg-laying cloth to accommodate more egg masses.

[0015] The design of securing the top layer to the inner egg-laying cloth with cable ties, forming a cover with the outer egg-laying cloth, makes the entire device more stable and durable, less prone to displacement or damage under wind or external disturbances. The stability and waterproofness of the top layer allow the entire device to better adapt to various environmental conditions. After the spotted lanternfly enters the device through the gaps in the outer egg-laying cloth and the bottom of the cover, the enclosure provides a certain barrier, not only attracting the spotted lanternfly to the egg-laying cloth but also preventing it from flying away due to external disturbances. Through this design, the spotted lanternfly can find a suitable egg-laying location within the device, thereby increasing the success rate of egg-laying.

[0016] The egg-laying cloth, used as the egg-laying substrate for the spotted lanternfly, is made of a material that is wear-resistant, has strong friction, is soft, and not easily deformed. This avoids the instability caused by a smooth or overly soft surface, effectively preventing spotted lanternflies from being unable to lay eggs on the unsuitable material, and ensuring that the material of the egg-laying cloth can attract spotted lanternflies to lay eggs. Felt cloth is preferred as the material for the egg-laying cloth. Both the inner and outer egg-laying cloths are made of 2mm thick black felt cloth, with a width of 40-60cm, and the width of the inner and outer egg-laying cloths is the same during use. The egg-laying cloth is rectangular.

[0017] The top layer, unfolded into rectangular strips, is easy to wrap around and secure to the tree trunk. It possesses excellent water-resistant, moisture-proof, and shock-absorbing properties; its high toughness and outstanding resistance to deformation allow it to maintain its shape under outdoor or field conditions without easily being damaged, thus ensuring the integrity of the cylindrical cover. Preferred material is pearl cotton (PEF). The top layer material is black PEF, 10cm wide and 5-10cm thick. The rectangular strip shape of the top layer facilitates wrapping and securing to the tree trunk.

[0018] The inner layer, like the top layer, is made of black pearl cotton. The unfolded material is a rectangular strip, easy to wrap and secure to the trunk, 8cm wide, 5-10cm thick, and half the length of the top layer. When using, the thickness of the top and inner layers should be the same. The two inner layers are staggered, wrapping around the left and right sides of the trunk respectively for half a turn; the first inner layer is 8-12cm from the top layer, and the second inner layer is also 8-12cm from the first.

[0019] The cylindrical cover provides a relatively enclosed egg-laying space for the spotted lanternfly, preventing it from flying away after entering the device and encouraging it to find a suitable egg-laying location within the device, thereby increasing the egg-laying success rate.

[0020] The fabrication and installation process of the spawning device is as follows:

[0021] Use self-adhesive Velcro and nylon cable ties to firmly fix the inner layer of the egg-laying cloth to the surface of the tree trunk. Then, use cable ties to fix the top layer material to the tree trunk above the inner layer of the egg-laying cloth. Next, use nylon cable ties to stagger the two inner layers and fix them to the left and right sides of the inner layer of the egg-laying cloth respectively. Finally, use thumbtacks to fix a ring of outer layer of egg-laying cloth to the outside of the top layer, thus forming a cylindrical cover.

[0022] The inner egg-laying cloth needs to be tightly fixed to the tree body using self-adhesive Velcro and nylon cable ties;

[0023] The top layer needs to be fixed to the trunk at the top of the inner egg-laying cloth with nylon cable ties, with no gaps between the two;

[0024] The inner layer needs to be fixed to the inner egg-laying cloth with nylon cable ties. The two inner layers are staggered and wrap around the left and right sides of the tree trunk respectively.

[0025] The outer egg-laying cloth needs to be fixed to the top layer with thumbtacks to form a cylindrical cover;

[0026] The cylindrical cover is open at the bottom and has a gap on the side of the outer egg-laying cloth.

[0027] The present invention also provides a method for attracting spotted lanternflies to lay eggs in a concentrated manner, which uses the aforementioned egg-laying device fixed on a tree trunk to attract spotted lanternflies to lay eggs in a concentrated manner.

[0028] Specifically, during the egg-laying period of the spotted lanternfly, a host tree for the spotted lanternfly, such as the ailanthus tree, is selected as the tree for setting up the egg-laying device, and the egg-laying device is fixed at a height of 1.2-1.8m on its trunk.

[0029] Specifically, the appropriate length of fabric is cut according to the diameter at breast height of the tree trunk;

[0030] Optionally, after the spotted lanternfly has finished laying its eggs, the outer egg-laying cloth is removed and the egg masses are collected for subsequent processing or disposal.

[0031] The present invention further provides the application of the oviposition device in the control of spotted lanternfly. Specifically, it reduces the damage to trees caused by spotted lanternfly by fixing the oviposition device to the tree trunk to attract spotted lanternfly to lay eggs, and then treating the oviposition device after it is completed.

[0032] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0033] ① The materials are readily available, the structure is simple, and assembly is easy. This invention utilizes readily available materials and a simple structural design, making the production and assembly process more efficient and cost-effective. This design not only reduces the difficulty of procuring raw materials but also makes the device more operable and reduces production costs in practical applications.

[0034] ② This invention efficiently attracts spotted lanternflies to lay their eggs in concentrated areas, reducing the number of egg masses on host plants. The egg-laying device of this invention, through its rational structure and attraction mechanism, effectively attracts spotted lanternflies to lay their eggs in concentrated areas. Since lanternflies prefer to lay their eggs inside the device, its use can significantly reduce the number of egg masses on host plants, thereby reducing damage to plants and lowering the degree of damage caused by spotted lanternflies in forests.

[0035] ③ Improve work efficiency. The oviposition device of the present invention can collect the egg masses laid on the top layer, inner layer and oviposition cloth in a concentrated manner and achieve efficient destruction, saving the time and labor costs of processing and destroying the egg masses of spotted lanternfly one by one. It has the advantages of convenient egg collection operation and high collection efficiency.

[0036] ④ High stability and strong adaptability. Through ingenious design, the cylindrical cover and inner layer are combined to create an effective egg-laying environment for the spotted lanternfly. The design of the inner layer increases the egg-laying area at a 180° angle to the ground. The design of two staggered inner layers wrapped around the left and right sides of the tree trunk increases the surface area available for the spotted lanternfly to lay eggs while leaving enough space for the spotted lanternfly to continue climbing upwards. This allows it to freely find suitable egg-laying locations within the device, improving the overall effectiveness of the device. The combination of the cover's sealing and gap design ensures both a high egg-laying success rate for the spotted lanternfly and the stability and adaptability of the device, enabling it to be used for a long time under different environmental conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 : Egg-laying cloth, top layer, and inner layer structure;

[0038] Figure 2 The internal structure of the spawning apparatus;

[0039] Figure 3 The complete structure of the spawning apparatus;

[0040] Figure 4 Application of spawning devices on trees.

[0041] Explanation of the labels in the attached diagram: Inner layer of egg-laying cloth 1, Outer layer of egg-laying cloth 2, Top layer 3, Inner layer 4, Velcro 5, Cable tie 6, Thumbtack 7. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and advantages of this invention, a detailed description will be provided below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The drawings illustrate only exemplary embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit its implementation. This invention can be implemented in various forms, and its design concept and core technology are not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings. These embodiments are provided to facilitate understanding of the principles, structure, and function of this invention by those skilled in the art, thereby enabling them to better master and apply its technical solutions. The terminology used in this specification is only for describing specific embodiments and does not constitute a limitation of the invention.

[0043] Example 1:

[0044] See appendix Figure 1-3 A device for attracting spotted lanternflies to lay their eggs includes an inner egg-laying cloth 1, an outer egg-laying cloth 2, a top layer 3, and an inner layer 4. The top layer 3 is tied to the inner egg-laying cloth 1 using cable ties 6, and the inner layer 4 is also fixed to the inner egg-laying cloth 1 using cable ties 6. The outer egg-laying cloth 2 is fixed to the top layer 3 using thumbtacks 7. The inner egg-laying cloth 1, outer egg-laying cloth 2, and top layer 3 together form a cylindrical cover, which serves as the egg-laying space. Velcro 5 and cable ties 6 are used to fix the inner egg-laying cloth 1 to the tree trunk. The Velcro is positioned 0.5cm-1cm from the edge of the inner egg-laying cloth, and the cable ties are positioned 3-5cm from the bottom edge of the inner egg-laying cloth.

[0045] The inner egg-laying cloth 1 and the outer egg-laying cloth 2 are made of 2mm thick black felt cloth, with a width of 40-60cm. When using them, the inner egg-laying cloth 1 and the outer egg-laying cloth 2 have the same width. The egg-laying cloth is rectangular.

[0046] The top layer 3 material is made of black pearl cotton, 10cm wide and 5-10cm thick. The top layer 3 material is in rectangular strips, which are easy to wrap around and fix to the tree trunk.

[0047] The inner layer 4 is made of 8cm wide black pearl cotton, 5-10cm thick, and half the length of the top layer, in a rectangular strip. There are two inner layers, staggered vertically, wrapping around the left and right half of the trunk respectively; the first inner layer is 8-12cm apart from the top layer, and the second inner layer is also 8-12cm apart from the first inner layer.

[0048] The manufacturing and installation process is as follows:

[0049] First, use Velcro 5 and cable ties 6 to tightly secure the inner egg-laying cloth 1 to the tree trunk surface. Then, use cable ties 6 to secure the top layer 3 to the tree trunk 1-2 cm above the upper edge of the inner egg-laying cloth 1. Next, use cable ties 6 to stagger the two inner layers 4 vertically by 8-12 cm and secure them to the left and right sides of the inner egg-laying cloth, respectively. The distance between the first inner layer and the top layer should be 8-12 cm. Then, use thumbtacks 7 to secure a ring of outer egg-laying cloth 2 around the outside of the top layer 3, thus forming a cylindrical cover. The outer egg-laying cloth 2 has a 5-8 cm gap on its side, allowing the spotted lanternfly to enter the device. However, due to the relative sealing of the top layer 3 and the outer egg-laying cloth 2, it effectively prevents the cicada from flying away again after entering.

[0050] Example 2: During the egg-laying period of the spotted lanternfly, an ailanthus forest in Daxing District, Beijing, which was damaged by the spotted lanternfly, was selected. Trees with upright trunks and similar diameters at breast height were chosen for installing egg-laying devices. Figure 4 The oviposition cloth does not need to be distinguished by its front and back; the cloth is cut to a suitable length according to the trunk's diameter at breast height. Three oviposition devices are set up at a height of approximately 1.5 meters above the ground, using the apparatus of Example 1.

[0051] After the oviposition devices were installed, the spotted lanternfly entered the enclosure through the space at the bottom or gaps in the outer oviposition cloth. Once inside, the spotted lanternfly could find a suitable area to lay its eggs. Two months later, the spotted lanternfly completed its oviposition. The thumbtacks securing the outer oviposition cloth were removed, the cloth was disassembled, and the egg masses were collected. A total of 116 egg masses were collected from the three devices, with only one egg mass not laid in any device, resulting in a 99% oviposition rate due to induction. The egg masses could be peeled from the material using appropriate tools and collected for centralized processing.

[0052] Example 3: During the oviposition period of the spotted lanternfly, a mixed forest in Haidian District, Beijing, was selected. Ailanthus altissima and other host trees for the spotted lanternfly were chosen as the trees for setting up the oviposition devices. The diameter at breast height (DBH) varied significantly between different tree species (15-45 cm), and fabric of appropriate length was cut according to the DBH of the tree trunks. Three oviposition devices, using the same setup as in Example 1, were set up at a height of approximately 1.5 meters above the ground. Two months later, the spotted lanternfly completed its oviposition. The thumbtacks securing the outer oviposition fabric were removed, the outer fabric was disassembled, and the egg masses were collected. A total of 560 egg masses were collected from the three devices, with only three egg masses not found in any of the devices, resulting in an attraction-induced concentrated oviposition rate as high as 99%.

[0053] As demonstrated by the above examples, the device for attracting and concentrating egg-laying of spotted lanternflies using this invention can significantly improve the concentrated egg-laying rate and egg mass collection efficiency of spotted lanternflies. By rationally designing the egg-laying device, spotted lanternflies can be precisely guided to lay eggs in a concentrated manner, avoiding the dispersion of egg masses on the host plant and greatly improving egg-laying management efficiency. The material length can be flexibly adjusted to ensure an appropriate gap between the cover and the tree trunk, regardless of the tree's diameter at breast height or the forest environment, meeting the egg-laying needs of spotted lanternflies. Through application in different regions and on different tree species, this invention can achieve a concentrated egg-laying rate of up to 99%, significantly improving work efficiency and reducing labor costs. This device has significant advantages in the control of spotted lanternflies, effectively guiding them to lay eggs in a concentrated manner, facilitating the efficient collection and processing of subsequent egg masses.

[0054] Finally, it is important to emphasize that the embodiments provided herein are only a portion of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on this invention without inventive effort should fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A method for attracting spotted lanternflies to lay eggs in concentrated areas, characterized in that, It uses an egg-laying device fixed to the tree trunk to attract spotted lanternflies to lay eggs. After the spotted lanternflies have finished laying eggs, the outer egg-laying cloth is removed and the egg masses are collected for subsequent processing or disposal. The oviposition device comprises an inner oviposition cloth, an outer oviposition cloth, a top layer, and an inner layer. The top layer is tied to the inner oviposition cloth with cable ties, and the inner layer is fixed to the inner oviposition cloth with cable ties. The outer oviposition cloth is fixed to the top layer with thumbtacks. The top layer is positioned 1-2 cm from the top edge of the inner oviposition cloth. The inner, outer, and top layers together form a cylindrical cover, which is the oviposition space. It also includes Velcro fasteners positioned 0.5-1 cm from the edge of the inner oviposition cloth and cable ties positioned 3-5 cm from the bottom edge of the inner oviposition cloth. The inner and outer oviposition cloths are made of felt fabric; the top and inner layers are made of pearl cotton. There are two inner layers, staggered vertically, wrapping around the left and right sides of the trunk respectively. The first inner layer is 8-12 cm from the top layer, and the second inner layer is 8-12 cm from the first inner layer. A 5-8 cm gap is provided on the side of the outer oviposition cloth. Select a host tree for the oviposition of the spotted lanternfly as the tree for setting up the oviposition device. Fix the oviposition device at a height of 1.2-1.8m on the trunk. First, use Velcro and cable ties to tightly fix the inner oviposition cloth to the surface of the trunk. Then, use cable ties to fix the top layer to the trunk 1-2cm above the upper edge of the inner oviposition cloth. Next, use cable ties to stagger the two inner layers vertically and fix them to the left and right sides of the inner oviposition cloth respectively. The distance between the first inner layer and the top layer is 8-12cm, and the distance between the second inner layer and the first inner layer is 8-12cm. Finally, use thumbtacks to fix a ring of outer oviposition cloth around the outside of the top layer, thus forming a cylindrical cover.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The host tree for egg-laying is the ailanthus tree.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner and outer egg-laying cloths are made of 2mm thick rectangular felt cloth with a width of 40-60cm.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top layer is 8-12cm wide and 5-10cm thick. It is a rectangular strip that is easy to wrap around and fix to the tree trunk.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner layer is 6-10cm wide, 5-10cm thick, and half the length of the top layer.

6. The application of the method according to any one of claims 1-5 in mitigating the damage caused by the spotted lanternfly to forest trees.

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