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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Southeast Watershed Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #419410
Research Project: Biologically-based Management Systems for Insect Pests and Pollinators in Agricultural Landscapes in the Southeastern Region

Location: Southeast Watershed Research

Title: Parasitism of Nezara viridula and Halyomorpha halys and (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) by Trichopoda pennipes (Diptera: Tachinidae) in a field crop agroecosystem

Author
item Tillman, Patricia
item GRABARCZYK, ERIN - Valdosta State University

Submitted to: Journal of Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/13/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The native southern green stink bug and invasive brown marmorated stink bug are economic pests in corn, cotton, and soybean throughout the southeastern United States. The feather-legged fly parasitizes and kills adult southern green stink bugs. A fly maggot enters the body of the stink bug after hatching from an egg on the body of a stink bug. Eventually as the immature fly develops over time, the stink bug is killed. Little is known regarding parasitism of brown marmorated stink bugs by this fly in crops where they occur together. Thus, our main objective was to evaluate parasitism of southern green stink and brown marmorated adults by this fly in corn, cotton, and soybean from 2019 – 2022. Overall, parasitism was higher for the southern green stink bug compared to the brown marmorated stink bug and higher in corn and cotton compared to soybean. Highest mortality for fly immatures occurred for those that that died in eggs (42%). So, emergence of a new fly adult occurred more often when greater than one egg was deposited on a stink bug adult. We conclude that this fly prefers the southern green stink as a host but readily parasitizes the brown marmorated stink bug in field crops. Therefore, providing food in the form of nectar of flowering plants to the fly could help in managing both stink bug pests.

Technical Abstract: The indigenous Nezara viridula (L.) and invasive Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are stink bug pests that damage fruit in a variety of field crops throughout the southeastern United States. Trichopoda pennipes (F.) (Diptera: Tachinidae) parasitize adult N. viridula, however, little is known regarding parasitism of H. halys by this tachinid in systems where both stink bug species coexist. Thus, our main objective was to analyze patterns of T. pennipes parasitism for N. viridula and H. halys adults in corn, cotton, and soybean from 2019 – 2022. We also assessed the area of T. pennipes attacks on stink bug bodies as well as successful emergence from parasitized adults. Overall, the proportion of parasitized adults was higher for N. viridula compared to H. halys and higher in corn and cotton compared to soybean. Also, males were parasitized more often than females for both stink bug species. For N. viridula, T. pennipes developed to adults more often when eggs were laid on the ventral thorax. Supernumerary oviposition by T. pennipes was evident for both stink bug species. Highest mortality for T. pennipes immatures occurred for 1st instars (42%) that died in eggs. Emergence of a new adult occurred more often when greater than one egg was deposited on a stink bug adult. We conclude that T. pennipes prefers N. viridula as a host but readily parasitizes H. halys in field crops, therefore, conservation biocontrol is an important management strategy for both stink bug pests.