Seasonal abundance and trap comparisons of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) adults from its native region

Abstract

A challenging, yet fundamental part of initiating effective control measures against an invasive pest species is developing reliable means of monitoring the pest’s seasonal abundance. Halyomorpha halys, a polyphagous insect pest native to East Asia, has become a major economic threat to agricultural systems following unintentional introductions to North America, South America, and Europe. Research involving the seasonal phenology and monitoring attractant preferences of H. halys from its native range remain scarce. An 11-year collection of H. halys monitoring trap data from black light, incandescent light, and methyl (E, E, Z)-2, 4, 6-decatrienoate (MDT) lured traps from three locations in Kyoto, Japan was analyzed to fill gaps in knowledge relating to the native seasonal abundance and effectiveness of diferent trapping techniques for the pest. Due to a high amount of zero trap counts, a zero-inflated approach was taken to analyze the dataset. Overall, H. halys followed a bell-shaped population trend in Kyoto, with abundance peaking in the mid-summer. The attractant preference of H. halys varied slightly with the season, with black light traps producing to highest mean trap counts. The MDT lure traps generated the lowest mean trap counts, but displayed potential use in the reliable detection of early season H. halys. This work is expected to provide greater insight on H. halys in its native range and ultimately help refine existing management programs in invaded regions.