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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Southeast Watershed Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #398717
Research Project: Biologically-based Management Systems for Insect Pests and Pollinators in Agricultural Landscapes in the Southeastern Region

Location: Southeast Watershed Research

Title: Predation and parasitism of naturally occurring and sentinel stink bug egg masses of halyomorpha halys (Stal) and nezara viridula (L.) (hemiptera: pentatomidae) in various southeastern habitats

Author
item Tillman, Patricia - Glynn
item GRABARCZYK, ERIN - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item BALUSU, RAMMOHAN - Basf Corporation
item KESHEIMER, KATELYN - Auburn University
item BLAAUW, BRETT - University Of Georgia
item SIAL, ASHFAQ - University Of Georgia
item VINSON, EDGAR - Auburn University
item Cottrell, Ted

Submitted to: Journal of Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/17/2023
Publication Date: 3/1/2023
Citation: Tillman, P.G., Grabarczyk, E.E., Balusu, R., Kesheimer, K., Blaauw, B., Sial, A., Vinson, E., Cottrell, T.E. 2023. Predation and parasitism of naturally occurring and sentinel stink bug egg masses of halyomorpha halys (Stal) and nezara viridula (L.) (hemiptera: pentatomidae) in various southeastern habitats. Journal of Insect Science. 23(2):1-12. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iead012.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iead012

Interpretive Summary: Stink bugs eat and cause damage to a variety of crops. Predators and parasitoids may help control stink bug outbreaks in crop fields. Here, Scientists tested whether percent predation or percent parasitism of stink bug eggs depended on whether they were natural or fresh, refrigerated, or frozen before being placed in crops and orchards. Collecting natural egg masses or using refrigerated egg masses may be the best way to measure parasitism of stink bug eggs in crop fields and orchards. Overall, this may lead to better practices for farmers to manage stink bug pests.

Technical Abstract: Stink bugs, including Halyomorpha halys and Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), are agricultural pests that feed on fruit in a variety of crops. Monitoring predation and parasitism of stink bug egg masses furthers our understanding of potential biological control tactics. However, best practices for laboratory and field assessments of parasitism and predation of egg masses require further attention. We carried out a series of laboratory and field experiments to test whether parasitism and predation for three types of sentinel egg masses, fresh (i.e., untreated), frozen, and refrigerated, varied in agricultural commodities. In addition, we asked if predation and parasitism differed between sentinel and naturally occurring H. halys and N. viridula egg masses in soybean. In the laboratory, more H. halys eggs were parasitized by Trissolcus euschisti if they were frozen or refrigerated compared to fresh eggs. Similarly, in the field, parasitism was higher for frozen egg masses than fresh. In 2018, H. halys natural egg masses had higher parasitism and lower predation compared to sentinel egg masse in soybean. In a paired field test, there was no difference in parasitism between H. halys natural and sentinel egg masses, but much higher incidence of parasitism was detected in natural N. viridula egg masses than sentinel eggs. Both collecting natural egg mases and deploying refrigerated egg masses may be the best methodology for field assessment of parasitism of stink bug egg masses; however, if natural egg masses are not easily available, deploying sentinel eggs is a good alternative.