LAUSR

The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White) (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), has emerged as a globally important invasive insect pest, causing extensive damage to grapevines and ornamental plants in its invasive range. Praying mantises are commonly found in many native habitats of the spotted lanternfly in China. However, the role of predatory natural enemies such as mantises and their predatory efficiency as biological control agents for spotted lanternfly in this region is unknown. The predation efficiency of the five most common praying mantis species in northern China—Hierodula petellifera, Mantis religiosa, Statilia maculata, Tenodera angustipennis, and Tenodera sinensis (Mantodea: Mantidae) were evaluated—by measuring their functional responses to adult spotted lanternflies under controlled conditions. In addition, the intraspecific interference in predators were also examined by exposing a fixed ratio of mantis to prey densities.