BLACKSBURG, Virgina \u2013 <\/span>Researchers at Virginia Tech say man\u2019s best friend may also be one of nature\u2019s best defenses against an invasive pest. For the first time, a study shows that pet dogs could help stop the rapid spread of the spotted lanternfly.<\/p>\n Spotted lanternflies feed on different plants<\/a> and excrete a sugary substance called honeydew, which promotes mold growth. They are considered so destructive that some states have launched campaigns urging residents to stomp them<\/a> on sight. Experts say the real solution is to wipe out their egg masses, but those can be hard to find because they often resemble dried mud and can blend in with their surroundings.\u00a0<\/p>\n That’s where the dogs can come in to help with their strong sense of smell.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Dogs have one dominant sense. It’s their nose. We use our eyes. Dogs use their nose like their eyes,” said study participant, Katie Thomas.\u00a0<\/p>\n Katie Thomas rewards her dog, Finch, after locating a target scent<\/span> (Kailey Schuyler)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Thomas and her nine-year-old pitbull mix, Finch, participated in the study, hoping to put their years of recreational scent work to good use. They went through indoor and outdoor tests, sniffing out egg masses, and receiving an award when Finch was right on the money.\u00a0<\/p>\n SPOTTED LANTERNFLY: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE INVASIVE INSECT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n “To be able to do things that we already do, that we are having a lot of fun with\u2026 Train our dogs to sniff stuff, being able to apply that to something like a real problem that affects our community is really fulfilling,” said Thomas.\u00a0<\/p>\n The spotted lanternfly is native to Asia and was first detected in the United States in Pennsylvania over ten years ago. Since then, it has spread to 19 states, according to the USDA.\u00a0<\/p>\n The spotted lanternfly is impacting agriculture mostly in the Midwest and Northeast<\/span> (Fox News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n “They are everywhere, and we need to search out the eggs. The problem is it\u2019s too late once we have the lanternfly,” said study participant, Carolyn Shelburne.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1200\/675\/13ab67aa-map.png?ve=1&tl=1\")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n
![\"Dog](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1200\/675\/carolyn-shelburne-and-her-dog-hermes-were-one-of-the-first-duos-to-complete-the-field-study.jpg?ve=1&tl=1\")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n![\"Invasive](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/234\/132\/spotted-lanternfly-surge.jpg?ve=1&tl=1\")
<\/picture><\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n