Flight behavior of foraging and overwintering brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae).

D.-H Lee,T.C Leskey

doi:10.1017/s0007485315000462

Abstract

Brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is a highly polyphagous invasive species attacking both cultivated and wild plants increasing its threat to ecosystems as a global pest. However, dispersal biology of this invasive species is not well understood. This study evaluated the flight capacity and behavior of H. halys under laboratory, semi-field, and field conditions. Flight mills were used to measure the baseline flight capacity of adults collected year round from the field and included both foraging and overwintering populations. The effects of abiotic conditions such as wind speed and temperatures on the free flight parameters of H. halys were evaluated under semi-field and field conditions. The mean flight distances over a 22-h period were 2442 and 2083 m for male and female, respectively. Most individuals (89%) flew <5 km, though some flew much further with a maximum flight distance observed of 117 km. Flight distances by H. halys increased after emergence from overwintering sites in spring and reached their highest point in June. The incidence of take off by H. halys was significantly affected by the wind speed; when provided with still air conditions, 83% of individuals took off, but the rates decreased to <10% when wind speed was increased to or above 0.75 m s-1. The incidence of take off by H. halys was significantly affected by ambient temperature and light intensity in the field, whereas relative humidity and insect sex did not. When the temperature was at 10-15°C, 3% of individuals took off, but the proportion of H. halys taking flight increased to 61, 84, and 87% at 15-20, 20-25, and 25-30°C, respectively. In the field, prevailing flight direction was biased toward the opposite direction of the sun's position, especially in the morning. The implications of H. halys flight biology are discussed in the context of developing monitoring and management programs for this invasive species.

Highlights

IntroductionHalyomorpha halys (Stål), is a serious invasive species in the USA, especially in the mid-Atlantic regions
Brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is a serious invasive species in the USA, especially in the mid-Atlantic regions
The results of this study indicate that H. halys has strong flight capacity with which populations are capable of expanding their invasion into new regions at landscape levels

Summary

Introduction

Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is a serious invasive species in the USA, especially in the mid-Atlantic regions. H. halys is native to China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan with over 100 host plants in 45 families (Hoebeke & Carter, 2003; Lee et al, 2013a). Flight behavior of foraging and overwintering H. halys perennial crops in the Eastern USA and poses an increasing threat in the Pacific Northwest of the USA, Canada and Europe (Leskey et al, 2012; Gariepy et al, 2014; Shearer & Wiman, 2014). H. halys overwinter in natural landscapes using dry crevices in dead and standing trees, Quercus spp. and Robinia spp. (Lee et al, 2014)

Methods

Results

Conclusion