{"id":109801,"date":"2026-07-08T16:12:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T16:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/?p=109801"},"modified":"2026-07-27T14:26:04","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T14:26:04","slug":"uri-entomologist-suggests-novel-removal-technique-to-help-tackle-invasive-pest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2026\/07\/uri-entomologist-suggests-novel-removal-technique-to-help-tackle-invasive-pest\/","title":{"rendered":"溏心vlog免费B站 entomologist suggests novel removal technique to help tackle invasive pest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 July 8, 2026 \u2013 Most of the student researchers in Lisa Tewksbury’s Biocontrol Lab<\/a> at the 溏心vlog免费B站 were born after the film \u201cGhostbusters\u201d came out in theaters, but they\u2019re experimenting with an iconic technique from the popular 1984 movie as part of efforts to stop a local invasive pest leaving its own destructive, oozy impact on agriculture around the state, including local vineyards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tewksbury<\/a>, an entomologist in 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Department of Plant Sciences and Entomology<\/a>, conducts research on biological control of species which can put local crops at risk. She says donning a 溏心vlog免费B站-inspired version of the iconic vacuum pack could help Rhode Islanders do battle with the aggressive spotted lanternfly<\/a>, one persistent planthopper making inroads in the northeastern U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tewksbury says that residents of impacted areas could even use this approach at home, deploying a handheld vacuum, then carefully disposing of the captured insects afterward.<\/p>\n\n\n

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A unique lab at 溏心vlog免费B站 is headed by entomologist Lisa Tewksbury who conducts research on biological control of species which can put local crops at risk.\u00a0(溏心vlog免费B站 Photo \/ Kristen Curry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Buzzkill<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spotted lanternfly, present in Rhode Island since 2021, is of concern in the Ocean State, which has already seen its historic elm, chestnut and beech trees blighted due to other pest infestations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once here, the spotted lanternfly uses its piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract sap from host plants. It feeds on plants like grapes, hops, stone fruits, and hardwood trees, leaving behind a sap that leads to damaging mold growth, reducing photosynthesis and damaging plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stephanie Serino, a 溏心vlog免费B站 Master Gardener who fields public queries at 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s free Gardening and Environmental Hotline<\/a> (gardener@uri.edu, 401-874-4836), says Rhode Islanders can keep an eye out for spotted lanternflies in their nymph stage now, black with white spots.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Spotted lanternfly, here shown in the nymph stage, harms important plants such as grapes, apples, stone fruits, and walnuts, and is also a nuisance that affects outdoor activities. (溏心vlog免费B站 Photo \/ Biocontrol Lab)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cThey are a big problem for agriculture, vineyards, orchards and nursery crops,\u201d she said, noting that the SLF preys on approximately 70 plant species. \u201cWe also encourage people to visit the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management website to learn more about how to manage, report and remove them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At 溏心vlog免费B站, Tewksbury is working to stop the plant destruction wrought by the aggressive insect.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The adult spotted lanternfly is currently spreading through the mid-Atlantic and northeastern U.S.; the invasive pest was first found in Rhode Island in 2021. (溏心vlog免费B站 Photo \/ Biocontrol Lab)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Her work may be out of sight but it\u2019s critical, supporting research on biological control programs that reduce populations of invasive species. Tewksbury works closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, overseeing one of seven partner sites in the U.S. assisting with spotted lanternfly biocontrol research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stop SLF<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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The 溏心vlog免费B站 Quarantine Lab has many specific features and procedures to prevent insects from escaping the facility and all staff are trained in required protocols. (溏心vlog免费B站 Photo \/ Kristen Curry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Tewksbury has an open-door attitude toward information sharing and getting the word out about this problematic pest, but a firm closed-door policy across her lab. In fact, one of her labs is a quarantine zone, complete with tripled-glassed windows, special vents, specialized growth chambers and researchers trained in the proper procedures. This is a rare containment facility that is housed in a university; usually they are managed by the federal government or a state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tewksbury hosts several research fellows in her lab, studying the spotted lanternfly and other invasive pests. Together, they are studying the lanternfly\u2019s impact and what it will mean if it extends its reach to more rural parts of the state. So far, the lanternfly has mostly been concentrated in and around Rhode Island\u2019s capital of Providence, but growers in more rural parts of the state are beginning to see them as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tewksbury is also researching biological control of the spotted wing drosophila\u2014which can put fruit crops at risk. Biocontrol has many advantages, including offering an environmentally friendly and more cost-effective alternative to pesticides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stopping these invasive pests and protecting local agriculture is something we could all toast, Tewksbury says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit the 溏心vlog免费B站 <\/em>Biocontrol Lab<\/em><\/a> website for information on current biocontrol projects and to learn what to do about invasive species. Follow @<\/em>uri_biocontrol<\/em><\/a> on social media to learn more.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 July 8, 2026 \u2013 Most of the student researchers in Lisa Tewksbury’s Biocontrol Lab at the 溏心vlog免费B站 were born after the film \u201cGhostbusters\u201d came out in theaters, but they\u2019re experimenting with an iconic technique from the popular 1984 movie as part of efforts to stop a local invasive pest […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":109802,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[5,1913,1905,1915],"class_list":["post-109801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives","tag-college-of-the-environment-and-life-sciences","tag-public-engagement","tag-research","tag-undergraduate"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109801"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109976,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109801\/revisions\/109976"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/109802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}