Feeding Behavior of Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) and Response on Feeding Stimulants of Some Plants

Abstract

Lycorma delicatula was not an insect that was widely known to people a few years ago. However, it started to draw attention when a big population of Lycorma delicatula appeared in Seoul and the Gyeonggi area in 2006. After 2006, its population steadily grew, causing damage all around the nation (KFRI, 2007; Han et al., 2008; Park et al., 2009). Lycorma delicatula horrifies people because it lives as a group. Lycorma delicatula also sucks the sap out of branches, leaving honeydew on leaves, hindering plants from photosynthesizing, and causing sooty mold disease. When sooty mold disease is serious, plants wither and die. Lycorma delicatula was first discovered in Korea by Doi in 1932. Lycorma delicatula usually lives in subtropical areas like China and Southeastern Asia, but it started to live in South Korea in 2006, after coming into Korea through China (Han et al., 2008). 41 plant species, including 38 species of trees like tree of heaven, chinaberry tree, picramnia tree, parthenocissus tricuspidata, wild korean berry, grapevine, and 3 species of herb plants are reported as a host plants of Lycorma delicatula (Park et al., 2009). Control of Lycorma delicatula is needed because of recent damage caused by major outbreaks of Lycorma delicatula.