Department of Entomology

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Behavioral Response of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) to Semiochemicals Deployed Inside and Outside Anthropogenic Structures During the Overwintering Period
Morrison, William R. III; Acebes-Doria, Angelita L.; Ogburn, Emily C.; Kuhar, Thomas P.; Walgenbach, James F.; Bergh, J. Christopher; Nottingham, Louis B.; DiMeglio, Anthony S.; Hipkins, Patricia A.; Leskey, Tracy C. (2017-06)
The brownmarmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stal), is an invasive species from Asia capable of causing severe agricultural damage. It can also be a nuisance pest when it enters and exits anthropogenic overwintering sites. In recent years, pheromone lures and traps for H. halys have been developed and used to monitor populations in field studies. To date, no study has investigated the applicability of these monitoring tools for use indoors by building residents during the overwintering period. Herein, we 1) assessed when in late winter (diapause) and spring (postdiapause) H. halys begins to respond to its pheromone (10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-3-ol), 2) evaluated whether pheromone-based tools can be used reliably for monitoring H. halys adults in unheated and heated buildings, and 3) elucidated the potential for indoor management using pheromone-baited traps. A 2-yr trapping study suggested that H. halys began to respond reliably to pheromone-baited traps after a critical photoperiod of 13.5h in the spring. Captures before that point were not correlated with visual counts of bugs in buildings despite robust populations, suggesting currently available pheromone-baited traps were ineffective for surveillance of diapausing H. halys. Finally, because baited traps captured only 8-20% of the adult H. halys known to be present per location, they were not an effective indoor management tool for overwintering H. halys. Our study contributes important knowledge about the capacity of H. halys to perceive its pheromone during overwintering, and the ramifications thereof for building residents with nuisance problems.
Evaluation of Insecticides to Control Stink Bug in Edamame, 2019
Sutton, Kemper L.; Kuhar, Thomas P.; Rideout, Steven L.; Zhang, Bo (Oxford University Press, 2020-01-01)
Expression of feeding symptoms from pink hibiscus mealybug (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) by commercially important cultivars of hibiscus
Vitullo, Justin; Zhang, Aijun; Mannion, Catharine; Bergh, J. Christopher (Florida Entomological Society, 2009-06)
The pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), is a highly polyphagous pest that invaded southern Florida in 2002 and is now widely established throughout most of the state. Although Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. is a preferred and economically important host of M. hirsutus, the susceptibility and expression of feeding symptoms by different cultivars have not been evaluated. Cultivars of H. rosa-sinensis were infested with M. hirsutus and evaluated daily for 40 d for the onset and percentage of terminals expressing feeding symptoms. Under different initial densities of M. hirsutus, the cultivar 'President' showed no difference in the latency to expression of feeding symptoms, which occurred between 7 and 15 d after infestation, but did show significant differences between initial density and percentage of terminals expressing feeding symptoms from 10 d onward. When infested with 20 females, 80% of 'President' terminals exhibited symptoms 30 d after infestation. Four other cultivars initially infested with 10 female M. hirsutus showed significant differences in the onset and severity of feeding symptoms. All plants of the cultivars 'Florida Sunset' and 'Joanne' expressed damage symptoms at 12 +/- 2 SE d and 10 +/- 1 d, respectively, following infestation. Only a single plant of the cultivars 'Double Red' and 'Snow Queen' showed such symptoms at 19 and 30 d after infestation, respectively. Significant differences between cultivar and the percentage of terminals expressing feeding symptoms were observed from 20 d onward. Terminals sampled from all plants after 40 d revealed that egg, nymph, and adult female M. hirsutus were found on all plants, including those that did not exhibit feeding symptoms. These data have shown that hibiscus cultivars differ in their expression of M. hirsutus feeding symptoms, that M. hirsutus can reproduce on cultivars of hibiscus that do not express feeding symptoms, and that feeding symptoms are not a reliable indicator of infestation by M. hirsutus, highlighting the need for further investigation of the mechanisms underlying differences among cultivars.
Fifty Years of Cereal Leaf Beetle in the U.S.: An Update on Its Biology, Management, and Current Research
Philips, Christopher R.; Herbert, D. Ames Jr.; Kuhar, Thomas P.; Reisig, Dominic D.; Thomason, Wade E.; Malone, Sean M. (Entomological Society of America, 2011-10-01)
Cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus L., is an introduced insect pest of small grains first recorded in the United States in the early 1960s. Since its introduction from Europe or Asia into Michigan, cereal leaf beetle has rapidly spread and can now be found in most states. Cereal leaf beetle feeds on numerous species of grasses and is considered a major pest of oats, barley, and wheat. Although several studies have investigated cereal leaf beetle biology and population dynamics, numerous gaps remain in understanding the mechanisms that influence its spread and distribution, which makes predicting pest outbreaks difficult. Because of the difficulty in predicting when and where pest outbreaks will occur many growers in the southeast apply insecticides on a calendar basis rather than using a threshold-based integrated pest management approach. Our challenge is to develop new information and procedures that will encourage growers to reevaluate the way they are approaching spring-time insect control in wheat, and consider adoption of the integrated pest management approach. This article is a review of cereal leaf beetle biology, past and present management practices, and current research being conducted.
Grape Root Borer (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae): An Economic Pest of Commercial Vineyards in the Eastern United States
Rijal, Jhalendra P.; Bergh, J. Christopher (Entomological Society of America, 2017-01)
Grape root borer, Vitacea polistiformis (Harris; Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) is indigenous to the eastern United States and an economically important pest of commercial vineyards much of that region. After eclosion from eggs laid above ground, the oligophagous larvae burrow into the soil and feed on grape roots for 1-3 yr before pupating and emerging as an adult moth. Compared with many other lepidopteran pests of economic crops, the development of IPM tactics for grape root borer has lagged. Indeed, an important ongoing issue is that grape growers often remain unaware of an infestation until the vines show advanced symptoms. While captures of males in sex pheromone-baited traps can be used to determine the initiation, peak, and cessation of adult flight annually, they are not useful to assess the degree of infestation in individual vineyard blocks. Regular sampling of the pupal exuviae left by emerging adults is the optimal method to assess grape root populations in commercial vineyards. The biology and pest status of grape root borer are reviewed and recent developments toward improved monitoring and management tactics for it are discussed.
Harlequin Bug Biology and Pest Management in Brassicaceous Crops
Wallingford, A. K.; Kuhar, Thomas P.; Schultz, P. B.; Freeman, J. H. (Entomological Society of America, 2011-04-01)
Harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica (Hahn), is a piercing-sucking pest of brassicaceous crops, particularly in the southern United States. The pest typically completes two to four generations per year, and overwinters as an adult in debris and weeds. Both adults and nymphs feed on aboveground plant tissues, leaving white blotches on leaves. Under heavy feeding pressure, plants can wilt and die. Chemical insecticides such as pyrethroids, organophosphates, carbamates, and neonicotinoids have been used for effective control of harlequin bug adults and nymphs. However, there is potential for cultural control of this pest using trap cropping. This paper reviews the biology and management of harlequin bug.
Indigenous arthropod natural enemies of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug in North America and Europe
Abram, Paul K.; Hoelmer, Kim A.; Acebes-Doria, Angelita L.; Andrews, Heather; Beers, Elizabeth H.; Bergh, J. Christopher; Bessin, Ric; Biddinger, David J.; Botch, Paul; Buffington, Matthew L.; Cornelius, Mary L.; Costi, Elena; Delfosse, Ernest S.; Dieckhoff, Christine; Dobson, Rachelyn; Donais, Zachary; Grieshop, Matthew; Hamilton, George; Haye, Tim; Hedstrom, Christopher; Herlihy, Megan V.; Hoddle, Mark S.; Hooks, Cerruti R. R.; Jentsch, Peter; Joshi, Neelendra K.; Kuhar, Thomas P.; Lara, Jesus; Lee, Jana C.; Legrand, Ana; Leskey, Tracy C.; Lowenstein, David; Maistrello, Lara; Mathews, Clarissa R.; Milnes, Joshua M.; Morrison, William R. III; Nielsen, Anne L.; Ogburn, Emily C.; Pickett, Charles H.; Poley, Kristin; Pote, John; Radl, James; Shrewsbury, Paula M.; Talamas, Elijah; Tavella, Luciana; Walgenbach, James F.; Waterworth, Rebeccah; Weber, Donald C.; Welty, Celeste; Wiman, Nik G. (2017-09)
Since the establishment of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stal) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in North America and Europe, there has been a large, multi-group effort to characterize the composition and impact of the indigenous community of arthropod natural enemies attacking this invasive pest. In this review, we combine 98 indigenous natural enemy datasets spanning a variety of sampling methods, habitats, and geographic areas. To date, the vast majority of H. halys biological control research has focused on the egg stage, using sentinel egg masses to characterize indigenous parasitoid and predator communities and their contribution to H. halys egg mortality. Although egg parasitism and predation levels by indigenous natural enemies are low (typically <10% each) in most surveys, total egg mortality attributable to natural enemies can be higher (typically between 5 and 25%; up to 83%)-even though these values were likely underestimated in most cases because some mortality due to biological control was not recognized. In North America, where the most data are available, it appears that the relative prevalence of different indigenous parasitoid species varies among habitat types, particularly between crop and non-crop habitats. Predator species responsible for egg mortality are much less commonly identified, but appear to include a wide variety of generalist chewing and sucking predators. To date, studies of natural enemies attacking H. halys nymphs and adults are relatively rare. Based on our review, we identify a number of key research gaps and suggest several directions for future research.
Natural History, Ecology and Management of the Mexican Bean Beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in the United States
Schultz, P. B.; Herbert, D. Ames Jr.; Kuhar, Thomas P.; Nottingham, Louis B.; Dively, G. P. (2016-01-01)
Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis Mulsant, is an invasive, phytophagous ladybeetle that has occurred in the United States since the late 1800s. In the 1970s, it was a major defoliating pest of soybeans in the eastern United States, before populations mysteriously crashed. Today, the insect remains a devastating pest of Phaseolus species, such as common bean, P. vulgaris, and lima bean, P. lunatus, in geographic locations with moderate summer temperatures and regular rainfall, such as the Mid-Atlantic and southern Appalachian Mountain regions of the United States. Larvae and adults injure plants by consuming leaf tissue, which promotes desiccation and decreases photosynthetic activity. Beetle damage can be successfully mitigated with various insecticides (both conventional and organic), or via augmentative releases of the biological control agent, Pediobius foveolatus (Crawford). Various cultural and mechanical management tactics also exhibit management potential; however, more research is necessary to determine specific criteria for effective implementation of these strategies. This paper will review the general biology of Mexican bean beetle, management options to mitigate crop damage, and its historical timeline as a pest in the United States.
Neonicotinoid seed treatments of soybean provide negligible benefits to US farmers
Mourtzinis, Spyridon; Krupke, Christian H.; Esker, Paul D.; Varenhorst, Adam; Arneson, Nicholas J.; Bradley, Carl A.; Byrne, Adam M.; Chilvers, Martin, I.; Giesler, Loren J.; Herbert, D. Ames Jr.; Kandel, Yuba R.; Kazula, Maciej J.; Hunt, Catherine; Lindsey, Laura E.; Malone, Sean M.; Mueller, Daren S.; Naeve, Seth; Nafziger, Emerson D.; Reisig, Dominic D.; Ross, William J.; Rossman, Devon R.; Taylor, Sally V.; Conley, Shawn P. (Springer Nature, 2019-09-09)
Neonicotinoids are the most widely used insecticides worldwide and are typically deployed as seed treatments (hereafter NST) in many grain and oilseed crops, including soybeans. However, there is a surprising dearth of information regarding NST effectiveness in increasing soybean seed yield, and most published data suggest weak, or inconsistent yield benefit. The US is the key soybean-producing nation worldwide and this work includes soybean yield data from 194 randomized and replicated field studies conducted specifically to evaluate the effect of NSTs on soybean seed yield at sites within 14 states from 2006 through 2017. Here we show that across the principal soybean-growing region of the country, there are negligible and management-specific yield benefits attributed to NSTs. Across the entire region, the maximum observed yield benefits due to fungicide (FST = fungicide seed treatment) + neonicotinoid use (FST+NST) reached 0.13 Mg/ha. Across the entire region, combinations of management practices affected the effectiveness of FST+NST to increase yield but benefits were minimal ranging between 0.01 to 0.22 Mg/ha. Despite widespread use, this practice appears to have little benefit for most of soybean producers; across the entire region, a partial economic analysis further showed inconsistent evidence of a break-even cost of FST or FST+ NST. These results demonstrate that the current widespread prophylactic use of NST in the key soybean-producing areas of the US should be re-evaluated by producers and regulators alike.
Season-Long Monitoring of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Throughout the United States Using Commercially Available Traps and Lures
Acebes-Doria, Angelita L.; Agnello, Arthur M.; Alston, Diane G.; Andrews, Heather; Beers, Elizabeth H.; Bergh, J. Christopher; Bessin, Ric; Blaauw, Brett R.; Buntin, G. David; Burkness, Eric C.; Chen, Shi; Cottrell, Ted E.; Daane, Kent M.; Fann, Lauren E.; Fleischer, Shelby J.; Guedot, Christelle; Gut, Larry J.; Hamilton, George C.; Hilton, Richard; Hoelmer, Kim A.; Hutchison, William D.; Jentsch, Peter; Krawczyk, Greg; Kuhar, Thomas P.; Lee, Jana C.; Milnes, Joshua M.; Nielsen, Anne L.; Patel, Dilani K.; Short, Brent D.; Sial, Ashfaq A.; Spears, Lori R.; Tatman, Kathy; Toews, Michael D.; Walgenbach, James D.; Welty, Celeste; Wiman, Nik G.; Van Zoeren, Janet; Leskey, Tracy C. (2020-02)
Reliable monitoring of the invasive Halyomorpha halys abundance, phenology and geographic distribution is critical for its management. Halyomorpha halys adult and nymphal captures on clear sticky traps and in black pyramid traps were compared in 18 states across the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Pacific Northwest and Western regions of the United States. Traps were baited with commercial lures containing the H. halys pheromone and synergist, and deployed at field sites bordering agricultural or urban locations with H. halys host plants. Nymphal and adult captures in pyramid traps were greater than those on sticky traps, but captures were positively correlated between the two trap types within each region and during the early-, mid- and late season across all sites. Sites were further classified as having a low, moderate or high relative H. halys density and again showed positive correlations between captures for the two trap types for nymphs and adults. Among regions, the greatest adult captures were recorded in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic on pyramid and sticky traps, respectively, with lowest captures recorded in the West. Nymphal captures, while lower than adult captures, were greatest in the Southeast and lowest in the West. Nymphal and adult captures were, generally, greatest during July-August and September-October, respectively. Trapping data were compared with available phenological models showing comparable population peaks at most locations. Results demonstrated that sticky traps offer a simpler alternative to pyramid traps, but both can be reliable tools to monitor H. halys in different geographical locations with varying population densities throughout the season.
Toxicity and field efficacy of four neonicotinoids on harlequin bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)
Wallingford, Anna K.; Kuhar, Thomas P.; Schultz, Peter B. (Florida Entomological Society, 2012-12)
Harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica (Hahn), is a pest of cole crops in the USA. Laboratory toxicity assays revealed that the neonicotinoid insecticides imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, and clothianidin are toxic to harlequin bug nymphs; LC50 = 0.57, 0.52, 0.39, and 0.39 ppm, respectively. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of these insecticides over time when applied as a one-time soil drench. Each of the 4 neonicotinoids provided significant control of harlequin bug for at least 14 d after application.
Using Microscopy to Assess Chorion Structural Integrity and Parasitoid Oviposition Sites on Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Eggs
Koppel, Amanda Leigh; Herbert, D. Ames Jr.; Westbrook, E. W. (Cambridge University Press, 2011-02)
Previous efficacy studies found that many insecticides used by growers could be having an adverse effect on egg parasitoids (Telenomus podisi) developing in the eggs of the brown stink bug (Euschistus servus), while unhatched stink bugs experienced lower levels of mortality. One plausible explanation for this was that insecticides might enter parasitized eggs more readily via oviposition wounds. Parasitized E. servus eggs, as well as nonparasitized stink bug (Acrosternum hilare, E. servus, Murgantia histrionica, and Podisus macoliventris) eggs, were examined using electron microscopy. Egg response to perforation by a tungsten probe served as a control. Microscopy images depicted the chorion surface as characterized by a matrix of ridges and micropylar processes in a ring around the margin of the operculum. Observations of oviposition sites showed a "scab" formed where the ovipositor penetrated the chorion, and at sites penetrated by the probe. These formations appeared to be the result of fluids from inside the egg leaking out, drying, and hardening after oviposition or probe perforation, suggesting that the response was not due to substances secreted by the parasitoid. Further, no open wounds or holes were seen to increase the possibility of insecticides entering parasitized eggs.
Utilizing Consumer Perception of Edamame to Guide New Variety Development
Carneiro, Renata C. V.; Duncan, Susan E.; O'Keefe, Sean F.; Yu, Dajun; Huang, Haibo; Yin, Yun; Neill, Clinton L.; Zhang, Bo; Kuhar, Thomas P.; Rideout, Steven L.; Reiter, Mark S.; Ross, W. Jeremy; Chen, Pengyin; Gillen, Anne (2021-01-18)
Consumption of edamame (vegetable soybeans) has increased significantly in the U.S. over the last 20 years. Although market demand has been increasing, most edamame is still imported from Asian countries. A team of multistate plant-breeding programs in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S. has focused on developing new breeding lines that grow well in the U.S. and deliver what domestic growers, processors and consumers need and expect from their edamame. In our study, sensory evaluation was used to identify edamame genotypes and sensory attributes preferred by consumers to support breeding selection criteria. In the first year (reported as our "screening study"), 20 edamame genotypes were grown in three locations: Newport, AR, and Blacksburg and Painter, VA. In the second year (reported as our "validation study"), 10 edamame genotypes selected after our screening study were grown in Blacksburg and Painter, VA, Portageville, MO, and Stoneville, MS. In both years of research, untrained participants (adults; vegetable consumers not allergic to soy; N >= 50) used a traditional 9-point acceptability (hedonic) scale (1 = "dislike extremely"; 9 = "like extremely") to evaluate overall-liking, aroma, appearance, taste, and texture, and a 5-point scale (1 = "not sweet," 5 = "extremely sweet") to evaluate sweetness intensity. Next, participants used a check-all-that-apply (CATA) list of selected sensory terms to describe the sensory characteristics of each edamame sample. Overall acceptability of edamame genotypes was significantly different among all genotypes (p < 0.05). Samples described as "bitter," "sour" (flavor) or "starchy" (texture) were associated with lower acceptability scores while "salty" and "sweet" (flavor) were correlated with higher acceptability. Sensory data from the screening study were used to select the best genotypes by use of a defined decision process based on the consumer data. The validation study tested the selection decisions and further supported the genotype choices. Sensory evaluation is a powerful tool to direct breeders to improve market acceptability and develop new edamame genotypes. Both screening and validation studies illustrate the significant role of consumer sensory data in support of genotypes targeted for domestic (U.S.) production.
Vertical Sampling in Tree Canopies for Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Life Stages and its Egg Parasitoid, Trissolcus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae)
Quinn, Nicole F.; Talamas, Elijah J.; Acebes-Doria, Angelita L.; Leskey, Tracy C.; Bergh, J. Christopher (2019-02)
The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stl) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is an invasive agricultural and nuisance pest that has established across much of the United States and caused significant crop losses in the Mid-Atlantic region. While it has been monitored extensively using ground-deployed pheromone traps, the vertical distribution of its life stages in the canopy of wild tree hosts has not been examined. In Virginia, small pyramid traps baited with low-dose H. halys pheromone lures were deployed via a pulley system at the lower, mid-, and upper canopy of female tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle) in 2016 and 2017 and male A. altissima and hackberry (Celtis occidentalis L.) in 2017. Weekly captures of adults and nymphs were recorded throughout each season. Each year, additional female A. altissima trees were felled during the two main periods of H. halys oviposition. The number and relative locations of all pentatomid egg masses found on foliage were recorded and any parasitoids that emerged from them were identified. Halyomorpha halys adults and nymphs were captured in greatest numbers in upper canopy traps and in lowest numbers in traps near the tree base. More H. halys egg masses were collected from mid-canopy than from the lower or upper canopy. The adventive egg parasitoid, Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), emerged most frequently from egg masses found at mid-canopy and was not recovered from those in the lower canopy. Results are discussed in relation to the foraging ecology of H. halys and its natural enemies, including TT. japonicus.

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