Research on the Jumping Ability of the Nymphal Stages of the Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula)

The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is an invasive pest, and its jumping ability is crucial for its dispersal and colonization. While previous studies have reported on adults^’ jumping ability, the differences in jumping capabilities among nymphs in different instars and the underlying biological mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we employed high-speed videography to quantify jump kinematics (takeoff velocity, acceleration, angle) alongside morphological analysis to examine how jumping performance relates to development across nymphal instars. The results showed that the body lengths of 1st to 4th instar nymphs were 2.59±0.74 mm, 6.31±0.48 mm, 6.85±0.81 mm, 8.28±0.55 mm, and their body weights were 9.78±3.31 mg, 27.94±9.9 mg, 39.13±8.12 mg, 107.37±31.32mg. The nymphs exhibited strong jumping abilities, with takeoff velocities of 0.61±3.42 m/s, 2.17±0.23 m/s, 3.24±0.56 m/s, 4.07±2.31 m/s for 1st to 4th instars. Takeoff velocity increased significantly with instar. The corresponding accelerations were 171.52±0.41g, 89.98±0.67g, 68.32±1.35g, 37.57±2.64g, indicating an inverse relationship between acceleration and body size, which means that smaller nymphs exhibited higher acceleration. Takeoff angles decreased with increasing instars, measuring 171.23±0.43°, 158.31±0.15°, 159.16±0.32°, 155.64±0.13° for 1st to 4th instars. These angles were significantly larger than adult's takeoff angle of approximately 45°. Analysis of the jump trajectory revealed that both vertical and horizontal distances increased with instar. Morphologically, the hind leg lengths of 1st to 4th instar nymphs were 3.43±1.19 mm, 6.63±0.56 mm, 8.11±1.56 mm, 10.30±1.25 mm, and the pleural arch lengths were 1.66±0.16 mm, 2.28±0.19 mm, 3.41±0.89 mm, 3.86±0.52 mm. Analysis indicated that hind leg length and pleural arch length were significantly positively correlated with takeoff velocity, suggesting that the development of these structures is the morphological basis for enhanced jumping performance. This study elucidates the development of jumping ability across nymphal instars and its relationship with biological structural changes, inspiring the design of bioinspired jumping robots.