Terrestrial environmental DNA survey substantially improves detection of satellite populations for an invasive insect

Terrestrial environmental DNA survey substantially improves detection of satellite populations for an invasive insect | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Terrestrial environmental DNA survey substantially improves detection of satellite populations for an invasive insect Julie Lockwood, Michael Allen, Anthony Vastano, Mario Hernandez, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9556900/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Early detection of satellite populations is essential for managing invasive species, but traditional methods often fall short when populations are sparse and widespread. We assessed the effectiveness of terrestrial environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys for detecting spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) along major highways in New York State, a region at the invasion front in North America. Over two years, we sampled 83 sites covering 1,650 km of high-traffic roadway using a roller-based, host-tree surface eDNA collection method and compared results with concurrent visual surveys and a government-run trap surveillance program (‘circle traps’). We detected spotted lanternfly eDNA at 77% of sampled sites, while visual surveys indicated lanternfly presence at only 5% of these sites. Site occupancy models estimated detection probability at 0.77 per eDNA sample (95% CI: 0.66–0.86), compared with 0.25 per trap (95% CI: 0.21–0.31). Detection probability was lower in 2023 than in 2022 (eDNA: 0.68 vs. 0.89; traps: 0.13 vs. 0.32), likely due to our sampling in locations with lower population densities and distances farther from the invasion core. Extrapolation from hierarchical models indicated that three eDNA samples per occupied site would achieve a 95% cumulative detection probability, whereas circle traps would require 11–23 checks. Our surveys identified previously undocumented spotted lanternfly populations beyond the known range front at the time of the survey, including in high-risk agricultural and forested areas. These results show that terrestrial eDNA surveys can outperform traditional methods in detecting low-abundance invasive insects across large areas. Incorporating eDNA into early detection and rapid response efforts may improve management outcomes and reduce the risk of uncontrolled spread caused by human dispersal. environmental DNA insects early detection detection probability satellite populations secondary spread spotted lanternfly Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 05 May, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 05 May, 2026 Editor invited by journal 05 May, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 29 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 28 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9556900","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":635029084,"identity":"941c78e3-d731-45c5-8a8a-00a5bd41b2c3","order_by":0,"name":"Julie 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