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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #318358
Title: Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in pheromone-baited traps near crop field edges in Georgia

Author
item Tillman, Patricia - Glynn
item Cottrell, Ted

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/22/2016
Publication Date: 9/1/2016
Citation: Tillman, P.G., Cottrell, T.E. 2016. Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in pheromone-baited traps near crop field edges in Georgia, USA. Florida Entomologist. 99:363-370.

Interpretive Summary: Stink bugs are economic pests of cotton. Our specific objective for this study was to use traps stink bug traps to monitor stink bugs in habitats near cotton and peanut field edges before, during, and after crop production. The brown stink bug was the predominant species captured in traps, followed by the dusky stink bug. The southern green stink bug and green stink also were captured in traps. Stink bug were captured in traps before crop production, during the time stink bugs were detected in crops, and after harvest of crops at which time some overwintering stink bug adults were captured. Inclusion of year-round stink bug pheromone traps in non-crop habitats adjacent to crops potentially offers three major benefits: 1) capturing and killing adults before they disperse from non-crop hosts into crops and subsequently damage crop fruit, 2) eliminating females which have the potential to oviposit on crops, 3) reducing the density of overwintering adults in non-crop habitats.

Technical Abstract: Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are economic pests of cotton. Our specific objective for this 3-yr study was to use traps baited with Euschistus spp. pheromone to monitor stink bugs in habitats near cotton and peanut field edges before, during, and after crop growth and development. Plant-feeding stink bugs captured in traps included Euschistus servus (Say), E. tristigmus (Say), Chinavia hilaris (Say), Nezara viridula (L.), Hymenarchys nervosa (Say), E. ictericus (L.), Thyanta custator custator (F.), E. quadrator Rolston, Brochymena quadripustulata F., Proxys punctulatus (Palisot), and Oebalus pugnax (F.). Two predatory stink bug species, Podisus maculiventris (Say) and Euthyrhynchus floridanus (L.), also were captured. Euschistus servus was the predominant species captured, followed by E. tristigmus. In both cotton and peanut, traps with a pyramid-shaped base captured significantly higher numbers of E. servus and E. tristigmus nymphs and adults than traps with a bamboo pole base suggesting that the pyramid base provides a broader platform for these insects to crawl into the insect-collecting device at the top of the trap. Euschistus servus, E. tristigmus, C. hilaris, and N. viridula were captured in traps before crop production, during the time stink bugs were detected in peanut and/or cotton, and after crop senescence or harvest at which time some overwintering E. servus and E. tristigmus adults were captured. Sustainable management strategies, including using pheromone-baited traps to capture and kill stink bugs, have the potential to disrupt the cycle of stink bug population growth and dispersal in farmscapes.