researchers are now looking into whether these fungi can be used to control spotted Lantern flies in the wild
In 2019, researchers reported on a sudden population collapse of spotted Lantern flies in Pennsylvania, which could potentially be killed off with two fungal species native to the U.S. One species, Batcoa, glues its victims in place on the tree trunk, while the other, Bovary abasiana, is more common and is already used as a commercial insecticide to control pests like aphids and white flies. Lab studies have found that these same strains can infect lanternflies, leading researchers to investigate whether these fungi can be used to control spotted Lantern flies in the wild.