Researchers from the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk, Maine, have been working with Texas Tech and Virginia Tech to collect information regarding whether dogs can sniff out an invasive species while on walks.
Meet Hopper. Hopper is a very good boy.
As News Center Maine reported, Hopper has been working for around nine months trying to detect the eggs of spotted lanternflies, which have spread in 17 U.S. states and are a particular issue in the Northeast.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the lanternfly was first detected in the United States in 2014, and it feeds on a wide range of plants, including those that produce hops, grapes, and stone fruits. Additionally, the red-caped bugs produce a fluid that causes mold, which can be further damaging to flora.
Hopper has been working alongside 15 canine cohorts to detect eggs in outdoor settings, which can allow dog owners to destroy them before they hatch.
News Center Maine tested out Hopper's skills, hiding a packet of eggs behind the tire of a parked car. It didn't take long for the pup to sniff them out.
"He's got it in his rolodex of scents," Sarah Ashe, Hopper's owner, told the publication.
AWS trainer Melissa McCue-McGrath noted that this allows dog owners to do their bit for the environment, controlling the spread of an invasive insect that is already getting out of hand — although Maine is so far relatively unscathed.
"We are in a unique position where we can be proactive and start to get it before it really gets a hold here," McCue-McGrath said.
🗣️ Should we be actively working to kill invasive species?
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🔘 It depends on the species 🤔
🔘 I don't know 🤷
🔘 No — leave nature alone 🙅
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Dogs' impressive sense of smell has been put to good use to help control other invasive species, too. In Wisconsin, for example, chocolate labrador Tilia is sniffing out invasive wild parsnips. She's also finding the location of endangered salamanders.
But humans can also help keep the spread of invasive species under control. Foragers in Washington State are encouraged to eat Himalayan blackberries, while the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has called on locals to catch and eat invasive lionfish.
For Hopper, though, it's lanternflies that his nose knows. But McCue-McGrath is now looking to expand the program, investigating if dogs can help track down another invasive insect, the emerald ash borer.
Hopper and the rest of the diligent dogs deserve all the belly rubs and treats they can handle.
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