Gene drive development is progressing more rapidly than our understanding of public values toward these technologies. We analyze a statistically representative survey (n = 1018) of U.S. adult attitudes toward agricultural gene drives. When informed about potential risks, benefits, and two previously researched applications, respondents’ support/opposition depends heavily (+22%/−19%) on whether spread of drives can be limited, non-native versus native species are targeted (+12%/−9%), or the drive replaces versus suppresses target species (±2%). The one-fifth of respondents seeking out non–GMO–labeled food are more likely to oppose drives, although their support exceeds opposition for limited applications. Over 62% trust U.S. universities and the Department of Agriculture to research gene drives, with the private sector and Department of Defense viewed as more untrustworthy. Uncertain human health and ecological effects are the public’s most important concerns to resolve. These findings can inform responsible innovation in gene drive development and risk assessment.

Invasive, polyphagous crop pests subsist on a number of crop and non-crop resources. While knowing the full range of host species is important, a seasonal investigation into the use of non-crop plants adjacent to cropping systems provide key insights into some of the factors determining local population dynamics. This study investigated the infestation of non-crop plants by the invasive Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), a pest of numerous economically important stone and small fruit crops, by sampling fruit-producing non-crop hosts adjacent to commercial plantings weekly from June through November in central New York over a two-year period. We found D. suzukii infestation rates (number of flies emerged/kg fruit) peaked mid-August through early September, with Rubus allegheniensis Porter and Lonicera morrowii Asa Gray showing the highest average infestation in both years. Interannual infestation patterns were similar despite a lower number of adults caught in monitoring traps the second year, suggesting D. suzukii host use may be density independent.

Insects cause substantial losses to agricultural crops each year and require intensive management approaches. Genetic pest management has emerged as a viable, non-chemical alternative for managing insect pests. The development of engineered gene drives for agricultural use is promising, though unproven, and has the potential to impact farmers as well as broader socio-ecological systems in several ways. Drawing on lessons from the deployment of other pest control technologies, this paper considers how insects containing gene drives could intersect with some of the complexities that characterize agricultural systems. Gene drives are being developed in a landscape of pest management shaped by past and current approaches, experiences, regulations, public opinion, and pest invasions. Because gene drive insects may spread well beyond their release area, stakeholder groups at different spatial scales need to be engaged in decisions about their deployment. This new paradigm both complicates and offers great promise for future pest management efforts.

The information that female insects perceive and use during oviposition site selection is complex and varies by species and ecological niche. Even in relatively unexploited niches, females interact directly and indirectly with conspecifics at oviposition sites. These interactions can take the form of host marking and re-assessment of prior oviposition sites during the decision-making process. Considerable research has focused on the niche breadth and host preference of the polyphagous invasive pest Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), but little information exists on how conspecific signals modulate oviposition behavior. We investigated three layers of social information that female D. suzukii may use in oviposition site selection—(1) pre-existing egg density, (2) pre-existing larval occupation, and (3) host marking by adults. We found that the presence of larvae and host marking, but not egg density, influenced oviposition behavior and that the two factors interacted over time. Adult marking appeared to deter oviposition only in the presence of an unmarked substrate. These results are the first behavioral evidence for a host marking pheromone in a species of Drosophila. These findings may also help elucidate D. suzukii infestation and preference patterns within crop fields and natural areas.

Host range assessment for emerging invasive insects is a vital step toward fully defining the issues the insect may pose. Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive species that is rapidly expanding its presence in the United States. The primary hosts facilitating this spread are tree of heaven, a plant from SLF’s native range, and the economically important winegrape. Black walnut is also implicated as an important and common host plant. This study investigated the survival and development of SLF on diets that included a variety of crop host plants in the presence or absence of tree of heaven. The following plant species, ‘Honeycrisp’ apple, ‘Reliance’ peach, silver maple, and tree of heaven were paired with winegrape or black walnut throughout the study. SLF had strong development and high survival on a diet of winegrape alone, and winegrape or black walnut paired with tree of heaven. Survival parameters were reduced with all other plant pairings. In particular, SLF in the winegrape and peach diet treatment did not develop past the third nymphal instar. A second experiment evaluated the survival of early and late instar nymphs and adult SLF life stages on three specialty crops – ‘Cascade’ hops, muscadine grapes, and kiwifruit over a two-week period. Nymphs survived longer than adults, with survival of first and second instar nymphs on hops not differing from the control tree of heaven treatment. The adult stage survived best on kiwi and muscadine grape. Our results show tree of heaven and winegrape were the only single plant diets evaluated that are sufficient for complete SLF development, while other host plants may require additional host or hosts of sufficient nutritional quality for SLF survival.

Historically, anecdotal observations support the likelihood of human-assisted invasive insect dispersal to new environments. No previous studies have investigated the ability of insects to remain attached to moving vehicles; however, such information is critical for prioritizing research, mitigation activities and understanding anthropogenic effects on biotic communities.Lycorma delicatula(White), spotted lanternfly (SLF), an invasive insect whose range is currently expanding throughout the United States, is commonly observed in urban settings and near transportation hubs. We developed a novel method to test SLF’s ability to remain on vehicle surfaces including bonnet, nose wing, windscreen, wipers and scuttle panel using laminar wind flow from 0 to 100 ± 5 km h⁻¹. We found all mobile life stages (nymphs and adults) could remain on the vehicle up to 100 km h⁻¹. First instar nymphs and early season adults remained attached at significantly higher wind speeds than other stages. A brief acclimatization period prior to wind delivery increased attachment duration for all life stages except later season adults. The importance of outliers in the success of invasive species is well established. Given these results, any hitchhiking SLF could potentially establish incipient populations. This methodology will be beneficial for exploring human-assisted dispersal of other invasive arthropods.