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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #323453

Title: Use of pheromones for monitoring phytophagous stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) populations

Author
item Tillman, Patricia - Glynn
item Cottrell, Ted

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/8/2016
Publication Date: 3/27/2017
Citation: Tillman, P.G., Cottrell, T.E. 2017. Use of pheromones for monitoring phytophagous stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) populations. In: Cokl, A., Borges, M., editors. Stinkbugs: Biorational Control Based on Communication Processes. Boca Raton, FL:CRC Press. p. 210-225.

Interpretive Summary: Native stink bugs, including the brown stink bug, the dusky stink bug, the southern green stink bug, the green stink bug, the brown-winged green stink bug, and the red shouldered stink bug, are primary pests responsible for millions of dollars in losses and cost of control in most fruit, vegetable, grain, and row crops worldwide. The brown marmorated stink bug is an invasive stink bug in the USA, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, and France. In the USA, it is now a major pest of orchard, row, and vegetable crops. Pheromones are male-produced compounds that are attractive to stink bugs and are currently commercially available for the brown stink bug, the dusky stink bug, the southern green stink bug, the green stink bug, the red shouldered stink bug, and the brown marmorated stink bug. Lures can be loaded with the synthetic pheromone attractive to stink bug species, and stink bug traps baited with these lures can capture stink bugs. However, many factors, such as trap type, trap color, and type of insect-collecting device can affect trap capture in the field. A pyramid trap consists of an insect-collecting device, containing a killing agent to prevent escape of stink bugs and the appropriate pheromone lure(s), seated atop a pyramid-like base. Generally, a yellow pyramid base with a vented insect-collecting device efficiently captures various native stink bug species in a variety of crops. Pyramid traps with a black base capture brown marmorated stink bug adults and nymphs. Monitoring stink bugs using pheromone-baited traps has been reported to 1) determine season long relative abundance of stink bug adults and nymphs in crops, and 2) detect timing of dispersal into and out a crop or an overwintering habitat. Thus information acquired through monitoring stink bugs in agroecosystems throughout the growing season can be useful in making management decisions regarding stink bug pests or in developing management strategies for these pests.

Technical Abstract: Phytophagous native stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), including Euschistus spp., Nezara viridula (L.), Chinavia hilaris (Say), Plautia stali Scott, Chlorochroa spp., and Thyanta spp., are primary pests responsible for millions of dollars in losses and cost of control in most fruit, vegetable, grain, and row crops worldwide. Halyomorpha halys (Stål) is an invasive stink bug in the USA, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, and France. In the USA, it is now a major pest of orchard, row, and vegetable crops. Pheromones are male-produced compounds attractive to stink bugs. Aggregation pheromones elicit responses from all mobile stages, while sex pheromones attract primarily females. Pheromones have been identified and synthesized for several species of stink bug pests and are currently commercially available for Euschistus spp., C. hilaris, N. viridula, P. stali, and H. halys. Lures (i.e., pheromone dispensers) can be loaded with the synthetic pheromone attractive to stink bug species, and stink bug traps baited with these lures can capture stink bugs. However, many factors, such as trap type, trap color, type of insect-collecting device, and pheromone dosage can affect trap capture in the field. A pyramid trap consists of an insect-collecting device, containing a killing agent to prevent escape of stink bugs and the appropriate pheromone lure(s), seated atop a pyramid-like base. Generally, a yellow pyramid base with a vented insect-collecting device efficiently captures various native stink bug species in a variety of crops. Pyramid traps with a black base capture H. halys adults and nymphs. Monitoring stink bugs using pheromone-baited traps has been reported to 1) determine season long relative abundance of stink bug adults and nymphs in crops, 2) detect or predict timing of dispersal into and out of a crop or an overwintering habitat, and 3) assess relative abundance of stink bugs in crops or habitats which are difficult to sample using standard sampling techniques. The question of whether a plant is a reproductive host or a food plant can be assessed by monitoring a plant for nymphal development. Trapping within a crop can aid in recapture of marked insects in mark-recapture studies, providing new insights into dispersal behavior of stink bugs. Thus information acquired through monitoring stink bugs in agroecosystems throughout the growing season can be useful in making management decisions regarding stink bug pests or in developing management strategies for these pests.