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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Kearneysville, West Virginia » Appalachian Fruit Research Laboratory » Innovative Fruit Production, Improvement, and Protection » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #324408
Title: Frequency, efficiency, and physical characteristics of predation by generalist predators of brown marmorated stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) eggs

Author
item Morrison, William - Rob
item MATHEWS, CLARISSA - Shepherd University
item Leskey, Tracy

Submitted to: Biological Control
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/2016
Publication Date: 5/31/2016
Citation: Morrison III, W.R., Mathews, C.R., Leskey, T.C. 2016. Frequency, efficiency, and physical characteristics of predation by generalist predators of brown marmorated stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) eggs. Biological Control. 97:120-130.

Interpretive Summary: Very little is known about the predator community of the brown marmorated stink bug, an invasive species in the United States and Europe. The goals of the current study were to determine which generalist predators that are commonly found in mid-Atlantic orchards and vegetable crops are capable of feeding on brown marmorated stink bug eggs through laboratory and field studies. We found that the best predators of H. halys eggs were katydids and ground beetles, and to a lesser extent earwigs, jumping spiders, and crickets. Egg damage for each also was described. Chewing injury was most frequently documented in the field compared with sucking types of injury. Our work contributes to the identification of key egg mass predators of H. halys in specialty crop agriculture.

Technical Abstract: The native generalist predator community of Halyomorpha halys, an invasive species in the United States and Europe, remains poorly studied. The aims of the current study were to determine which generalist predators that are commonly found in mid-Atlantic orchards and vegetable crops are capable of feeding on H. halys eggs and, if so, to systematically characterize the appearance of feeding damage. Over 25 field-collected and commercially available arthropod predator taxa, including adults and immatures, were evaluated as potential predators of H. halys eggs in laboratory trials, and a photographic library of egg mass damage was developed. In addition, over 400 sentinel egg masses were deployed in tree fruit and vegetable crops, and direct observations were made of predator taxa in situ. We found that the most frequent and efficient predator of H. halys eggs were katydids and ground beetles, and to a lesser extent earwigs, jumping spiders, and crickets. Egg damage for each was ascribed to one of four egg damage syndromes: complete chewing, incomplete chewing, stylet sucking, and punctured sucking. The first two are caused by predators with chewing mouthparts and are differentiated by the presence of irregular chorion debris left behind in the case of incomplete chewing. The latter two are caused by predators with piercing/sucking mouthparts and are separable by the presence of a feeding sheath in the case of stylet sucking. Complete chewing and incomplete chewing were the two feeding syndromes most frequently documented in the field and with the greatest number of eggs consumed per egg mass. Taxa evaluated in laboratory trials were reliably found in tree fruit and vegetable crops. Overall, our work contributes to the identification of key egg mass predators of H. halys in specialty crop agroecosytems.