Spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula (White) (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) is an invasive pest that was first detected in the United States in 2014. This insect has drawn a lot of attention for its potential to induce damage to crops like grapes via feeding, but it is unclear the effect this insect may have on non-agricultural ecosystems. A key side effect of SLF feeding is the production and excretion of carbohydrate-rich honeydew. This honeydew collects below the feeding spot, leading to the aggregation of sugars previously locked into host trees. Given its nascent introduction, the foraging effects of SLF honeydew production in the newly invaded range are unclear. Here we document arthropods feeding on SLF honeydew and address the following questions: 1) what is feeding on SLF honeydew? 2) what factors cause spatial variation in the Hymenoptera communities feeding on SLF honeydew? We surveyed communities around SLF-infested trees at 44 sites throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area, pairing visual observations with SLF trapping. In addressing these questions, we document more than 35 species of Hymenoptera feeding on SLF honeydew, including both native and non-native species. We document the feeding of at least 25 different families across seven orders, including important pollinators (Apidae, Halictidae, Syrphidae). When looking at the richness of hymenopteran communities through time we see an increase in richness when spotted lanternfly honeydew is most available. In addition to feeding observations, competition for honeydew and tree sap was observed at these sites. Through this study, we show that spotted lanternfly honeydew is a resource that is being consumed by a wide range of insects. This study shows that during times of high honeydew availability there is also a diverse community being found near SLF feeding trees. It is possible that this resource, made available by an invasive insect, could be beneficial to many pollinators but may also increase species interactions altering communities in unforeseen ways.
