Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Stored Product Insect and Engineering Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #348322
Research Project: Sustainable Management Strategies for Stored-Product Insects

Location: Stored Product Insect and Engineering Research

Title: Predation and parasitism by native and exotic natural enemies of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) eggs augmented with semiochemicals and differing host stimuli

Author
item Morrison, William - Rob
item BLAAUW, BRETT - University Of Georgia
item NIELSEN, ANNE - Rutgers University
item TALAMAS, ELIJAH - Florida Department Of Agriculture
item Leskey, Tracy

Submitted to: Biological Control
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/17/2018
Publication Date: 2/26/2018
Citation: Morrison III, W.R., Blaauw, B.R., Nielsen, A.L., Talamas, E., Leskey, T.C. 2018. Predation and parasitism by native and exotic natural enemies of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) eggs augmented with semiochemicals and differing host stimuli. Biological Control. 121:140-150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2018.02.016.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2018.02.016

Interpretive Summary: The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is an invasive species that causes enormous agricultural damage in the United States. Prior studies have established that biological control provided by predators and parasitoids is generally low for this species. The goal of our study was to attempt to increase the overall level of biological control for BMSB by using prey-, predator-, and plant-associated compounds. When we deployed these various compounds with BMSB eggs, we found that they did not affect the mortality of eggs compared to those that lacked these stimuli. However, during our research, we documented the presence of the most effective Asian parasitoid against BMSB, the samurai wasp, in West Virginia for the first time in 2016. As the samurai wasp increases its range in the United States, there is the potential for the long-term regulation of BMSB populations without agricultural damage or additional insecticide inputs.

Technical Abstract: The brown marmorated stink bug, or Halyomorpha halys, is an invasive species in the United States, and causes severe agricultural damage to a variety of crops. Prior research with other stink bugs has shown that various stimuli, including the aggregation pheromone of a pest can be an important kairomone for natural enemies. Recently, researchers have also documented an adventive population of the effective Asian parasitoid, Trissolcus japonicus, in the Eastern and Western US. The goals of this study were to 1) evaluate whether prey-, predator-, or plant-associated stimuli increase mortality of H. halys egg masses, and 2) document whether T. japonicus is present in West Virginia. The H. halys aggregation pheromone was not used as a kairomone by natural enemies. Presence of methyl salicylate and varying host species did not impact egg mortality. Other predator attractants did not increase predation damage to egg masses. We documented Trissolcus japonicus for the first time in West Virginia, USA. The implications of this for agricultural production in the eastern US are discussed.