Monitoring and biosurveillance tools for the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys Stal (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Authors: ACEBES-DORIA, ANGELITA - University Of Georgia; Morrison, William - Rob; Short, Brent; RICE, KEVIN - University Of Missouri; BUSH, HAYLEY - Virginia Tech; KUHAR, THOMAS - University Of Missouri; DUTHIE, CATHERINE - Ministry For Primary Industries; Leskey, Tracy

Submitted to: Insects
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/2/2018
Publication Date: 7/8/2018
Citation: Acebes-Doria, A.L., Morrison III, W.R., Short, B.D., Rice, K.B., Bush, H.G., Kuhar, T.P., Duthie, C., Leskey, T.C. 2018. Monitoring and biosurveillance tools for the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys Stal (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Insects. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects9030082.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects9030082

Interpretive Summary: Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is an invasive pest of specialty and row crops in North America and Europe. In countries that have similar at-risk crops and climates suitable for this invasive species, the need for a sensitive and reliable biosurveillance tool is critical. Therefore, we evaluated our standard black pyramid trap and a newer simpler trap design, and clear sticky panel mounted atop a wooden post as two potential traps that could be used. We also baited these traps with lures containing either a lower 1x or higher 4x loading of the BMSB pheromone and pheromone synergist. These traps were deployed in unmanaged habitats in West Virginia and Virginia in areas with varying relative population densities. We found that the clear sticky panel trap offers a more affordable and flexible trap design for BMSB biosurveillance and monitoring, and that the 1x lure was also very sensitive. These results will improve worldwide surveillance and monitoring programs for this invasive stink bug species.

Technical Abstract: Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is an invasive pest of numerous agricultural crops with an increasing global distribution. Finding simple and reliable monitoring tools for H. halys agricultural and surveillance programs is imperative. We compared standard pyramid traps to clear sticky cards attached atop wooden stakes and evaluated two commercially-formulated lures (Trécé and AgBio) with low and high rates of the H. halys aggregation pheromone and pheromone synergist at 12 sites in 2016. We further evaluated lure efficacy with clear sticky cards at six locations in 2017. Sites were classified as having low, moderate, or high relative population densities of H. halys in 2016, and as low or high densities of H. halys in 2017. Although clear sticky traps captured fewer adults and nymphs than pyramid traps, their captures were generally correlated at all population levels indicating that clear sticky traps can reliably monitor H. halys presence and relative abundance regardless of relative population density. During both years, adult and nymphal captures were significantly greater in traps baited with Trécé lures than with AgBio lures. Captures were greater in traps baited with high loading rate lures for each lure type and with the exception of traps baited with AgBio lures at high relative density sites in 2016, H. halys captures in traps with low and high loading rates of each lure type were correlated for both years. Comparison of yellow and clear sticky cards indicated they performed equally, but yellow cards captured more non-targets. In summary, clear sticky traps attached atop wooden posts and baited with H. halys pheromone and pheromone synergist lures are an effective option for H. halys monitoring and detection.