Blacksburg, Virginia – Researchers at Virginia Tech say Man’s best friend is also one of nature’s best defenses against invasive pests. For the first time, this study shows that pet dogs can help stop the rapid spread of spotted lantern fly.
Spotted lantern fries eat a variety of plants It also expels a sweet substance called Honeydew, which promotes mold growth. They are considered very destructive, so some states have launched campaigns to encourage residents Step on them Vision. Experts say the real solution is to wipe out the egg chunks, but they can be difficult to find as they often resemble dry mud and can blend in with the surroundings.
That’s where dogs can come to help their strong smell sense.
“Dogs have one dominant sense: their nose. We use their eyes. Dogs use their noses like their eyes,” said study participant Katie Thomas.
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Katie Thomas rewards her dog, Finch after finding the scent of the target (Kailey Schuyler)
Thomas and her nine-year-old pit bull mix, Finch, were hoping to take part in the research and make effective use of years of recreational scent work. They went through indoor and outdoor testing, sniffing egg chunks, and won awards when Finch was right for money.
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“We have a lot of fun to be able to do what we already do… It’s really fulfilling to be able to train our dogs and apply it to something like a real problem affecting our community,” Thomas said.
The spotted lantern fly is native to Asia and was first detected in the US in Pennsylvania over a decade ago. Since then, it has spread to 19 states, according to the USDA.
Spotted lantern fly affects agriculture primarily in the Midwest and Northeast (Fox News)
“They’re everywhere and you need to search for eggs. The problem is, once you have a lantern fry it’s too late,” said study participant Carolyn Shelburne.
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Carolyn Shelburne and her dog, Hermes, looking for the scent of Target (Kailey Schuyler)
Carolyn and her nine-year-old border collie, Hermes, were one of the first five K9s and handler teams to pass the field test. Eventually, 182 volunteer teams across the United States participated in the study.
For indoor testing, the dog correctly identified the scent of the lantern fry by more than 80%. For a more realistic outdoor test, dogs correctly identified more than 60% of scents. It’s still better than most human searches.
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“Hopefully more people will make sure they can train their dogs to do this.
Researchers hope that this is just the beginning for dogs to protect their local environment. Even in areas where spotted Laternflies are not an issue, dogs may be trained to sniff other invasive species.
