Attraction response of spot clothing wax cicada, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) to spearmint oil

Attraction responses of plant essential oils were investigated, and the electrophysiological response to nymphs and adults of spot clothing wax cicada (Lycorma delicatula) was confirmed. Of the ten tested oils, only spearmint oil was found attractive. In dose responses of spearmint oil, second to fourth instar nymphs, as well as adults, were significantly attracted to a dose of 5 μL; for nymphs, fourth instar nymph showed greatest attraction response (90.9%), and second and third instar nymphs showed mild attraction. At a dose of 10 μL, fourth instar nymphs and adults were significantly attracted to spearmint oil. Only fourth instar nymphs were attracted to spearmint oil at 2.5 μL. After analyzing spearmint oil using gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry, carvone constituent was found as a significant attractant for both nymphs and adults, except for first instar nymphs. Limonene did not show any attraction response. All constituents mixed with each other appeared to have an additive effect. In electrophysiological response to spearmint oil, antennae of only fourth instar nymphs and female adults responded to carvone. Therefore, spearmint oil may be effective as an attractant for control of L. delicatula populations. In a field test, fourth nymphs and female adults were highly attracted to 20 μL of spearmint oil. This is the first report on attraction response of L. delicatula to spearmint oil in the laboratory and the field.