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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Southeast Watershed Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #358125
Research Project: Ecology and Biologically-based Management Systems for Insect Pests in Agricultural Landscapes in the Southeastern Region

Location: Southeast Watershed Research

Title: Density and egg parasitism of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in mimosa

Author
item Tillman, Patricia

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/16/2018
Publication Date: 4/11/2019
Citation: Tillman, P.G. 2019. Density and egg parasitism of stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in mimosa. Florida Entomologist. 102(1):227-230. https://doi.org/10.1653/024.102.0137.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1653/024.102.0137

Interpretive Summary: Stink bugs are economic pests in most fruit, vegetable, grain, and row crops. The plant-feeding habits of these pests compels them to forage within and between closely associated non-crop and crop habitats across agricultural cropping areas in response to changing food resources. The exotic mimosa tree commonly grows in thickets along roadsides and in woodlands adjacent to agricultural crops across the southeast United States. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine if stink bugs grew on mimosa. The green stink bug fed and developed on mimosa primarily from mid-July through mid-August. Green stink bug nymphs and adults fed mostly on fruit of mimosa. Other stink bug species were also detected on mimosa, but only as adults feeding on fruit. Overall, 43% of the green stink bug eggs found on mimosa were parasitized by tiny parasitic wasps. In conclusion, the green stink bug is the primary stink bug species developing on mimosa and therefore a potential source of this stink bug to nearby crops.

Technical Abstract: Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are primary pests in most fruit, vegetable, grain, and row crops worldwide. The polyphagous habits of these pest species compels them to forage within and between closely associated non-crop and crop habitats across farmscapes in response to changing food resources within local habitats. The exotic mimosa tree, Albizia julibrissin Durazz (Fabaceae), commonly grows in thickets along roadsides and in woodlands adjacent to agricultural crops across the southeast United States. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine if mimosa was a host plant of stink bugs. Chinavia hilaris (Say) fed and developed on mimosa primarily from mid-July through mid-August. Both C. hilaris nymphs and adults fed more frequently on fruit than on leaves of mimosa. Euschistus servus (Say), E. tristigmus (Say), E. obscurus (Palisot), Nezara viridula (L.), and Thyanta custator custator (F.) were also detected on mimosa, but only as adults feeding on fruit. Overall, 43% of the C. hilaris eggs found on mimosa were parasitized. Trissolcus edessae Fouts (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) was the most prevalent parasitoid of C. hilaris eggs in mimosa, but Anastatus reduvii (Howard) (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) also emerged from eggs of this stink bug. In conclusion, C. hilaris is the primary stink bug species developing on mimosa and therefore a potential source of this stink bug in nearby crops.