| Summary: | With the recent introduction of the non-native spotted lanternfly (<i>Lycorma delicatula</i>) to the USA, research and concern regarding this insect is increasing. Though <i>L. delicatula</i> is able to feed on many different plant species, its preference for the invasive tree-of-heaven (<i>Ailanthus altissima</i>) is apparent, especially during its later life stage. Therefore, management focused on <i>A. altissima</i> control to help limit <i>L. delicatula</i> establishment and population growth has become popular. Unfortunately, the control of <i>A. altissima</i> is difficult. <i>Verticillium nonalfalfae</i>, a naturally occurring vascular-wilt pathogen, has recently received attention as a potential biological control agent. Therefore, we studied if <i>L. delicatula</i> fourth instars or adults could vector <i>V. nonalfalfae</i> from infected <i>A. altissima</i> material to healthy <i>A. altissima</i> seedlings in a laboratory setting. We were unable to re-isolate <i>V. nonalfalfae</i> from the 45 <i>A. altissima</i> seedlings or from the 225 <i>L. delicatula</i> utilized in this experiment. We therefore, found no support that <i>L. delicatula</i> could effectively vector this pathogen between <i>A. altissima</i> in laboratory conditions. Since <i>L.</i><i>delicatula</i>’s ability to vector <i>V. nonalfalfae</i> has implications for the dissemination of both this beneficial biological control and other similar unwanted plant pathogens, future research is needed to confirm these findings in a field setting.
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