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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #144341
Title: Comparison of susceptibility of pest Euschistus servus and predator Podisus maculiventris (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) to selected insecticides

Author
item Tillman, Patricia - Glynn
item MULLINIX, JR, B - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/21/2004
Publication Date: 7/1/2004
Citation: Tillman, P.G., Mullinix, Jr, B.G. 2004. Comparison of susceptibility of pest Euschistus servus and predator Podisus maculiventris (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) to selected insecticides. Journal of Economic Entomology. 97(3):800-806.

Interpretive Summary: In 2001, stink bugs were responsible for an estimated 6.5 million dollars in costs associated with crop loss and insecticide costs across the US. Since resurgence of key pests and outbreaks of secondary pests can occur with treatments that destroy natural enemies, insecticide selectivity is an important issue in integrated pest management. Thus, the objective of this research was to compare the toxicity of the insecticides Baythroid, Bidrin, Steward, Vydate, and Scout to a pest stink bug, the brown stink bug (BSB), and a predatory stink bug, the spined soldier bug (SSB), when exposed to dried residues of these insecticides and when feeding on these insecticides. Bidrin, Vydate, and Scout were equally toxic to BSB and SSB. In addition, SSB was more susceptible than BSB to residues of Baythroid and to feeding on indoxacarb-covered food. Thus, chemical interventions with each of these five insecticides should be applied only when this pest reaches economic threshold in cotton to conserve SSB and other natural enemies in cotton fields.

Technical Abstract: Susceptibility of a pest stink bug, the brown stink bug (BSB), Euschistus servus (Say) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), and the predatory stink bug, the spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), to cyfluthrin, dicrotophos, indoxacarb, oxamyl, and tralomethrin, insecticides used for stinkbug control in cotton, was compared in residual and feeding tests. Both insect species responded very similarly to dicrotophos, oxamyl, and tralomethrin in tarsal contact and feeding toxicity studies. Dicrotophos and oxamyl residues were highly toxic to nymphs and adults, but tralomethrin only slightly toxic to nymphs and non-toxic to adults. Feeding on dicrotophos-treated food resulted in moderate mortality for nymphs, but little mortality for adults. Oxamyl and tralomethrin showed little feeding activity for nymphs and adults. Feeding through dry residues of cyfluthrin did not result in mortality for nymphs and adults of either insect species. However, P. maculiventris nymphs and adults were more susceptible to prolonged tarsal contact with dry cyfluthrin residues than BSB. Prolonged tarsal contact with dry indoxacarb residues did not result in mortality for nymphs and adults of either stink bug species. However, Podius maculiventris nymphs and adults were highly susceptible to indoxacarb when feeding through dried residues of the insecticide on fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith)(FAW), larvae. In contrast, feeding on indoxacarb residues on shelled pole beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) had very little adverse effect on E. servus. Unfortunately, none of the insecticides were selective against BSB so chemical interventions should be applied only when this pest reaches economic threshold in cotton to conserve P. maculiventris and other natural enemies in cotton fields.