Rearing the Brown Marmorated Stink BugHalyomorpha halys(Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

Abstract

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys (Stal) (Heteroptera: Pen tatomidae) is a potential threat to Florida agricul ture (Halbert & Hodges 2011; Zhu et al. 2012). It is native to China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan (Hsiao 1977; Zhang 1985) and was recently in troduced into the United States. It was original ly detected in Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1998, and since then has been reported in approxi mately 37 states (NAPIS 2009; Jacobs 2012). Several interceptions of the BMSB have been reported from Florida in the last several years, however it is apparently not yet established there (Leroy Whilby, Personal Communication). BMSB is a polyphagous sucking insect that feeds on a variety of fruit trees including citrus as well as vegetables, ornamental and weedy plants The BMSB has become a serious pest of fruits and vegetable crops in the mid-Atlantic region. The estimated apple losses reached $37 million in 2010 from BMSB for mid-Atlantic ap ple growers (Hamilton & Shearer 2003; Nielsen & Hamilton 2009; Gill et al. 2010). Feeding damage is caused by both nymphs and adults on the leaves, fruits and stems of plants. In ad dition to direct feeding damage, BMSB is also known as a vector of witch's broom phytoplasma in Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) (Lamiales: Paulowniaceae) in Asia (Gao et al. 2008; Jones & Lambdin 2009). However, in the USA it has not been reported as a vector of any pathogen (Gyeltshen et al. 2011). BMSB is able to over winter inside houses and other enclosed struc