NE1944: Management of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
(Multistate Research Project)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
Date of Annual Report: 05/18/2020
Report Information
Period the Report Covers: 09/01/2018 - 10/31/2019
Participants
George Hamilton (ghamilto@NJAES.rutgers.edu) - Rutgers UniversityAnne Nielsen (annielse@njaes.rutgers.edu) - Rutgers University
Chris Bergh (cbergh@vt.edu) - Virginia Tech
Thomas Kuhar (tkuhar@vt.edu) - Virginia Tech
Amanda Hodges (achodges@ufl.edu) - University of Florida
Brief Summary of Minutes
Administrative Liaison’s to the Multistate 5-year Research Project: Hamilton announced Herb Bolton is no longer our NIFA liaison. Herb has left NIFA for a job with APHIS. Our new NIFA Liaison is Steve Smith. He then told the group that we also lost our NE Experiment Station Director liaison Ted Andreadis who recently retired. No replacement has been named yet.
Kuhar asked how people in other states can job the project since we do not have representation from states where BMSB is has become a problem. Should we advertise it? Hamilton responded that anyone can join the group and that to do so they need to talk with their experiment station director. He will also talk to Jim Walgenbach about letting folks associated with the BMSB SCRI grant know about the project. Bergh stated that these can be used in place of having a hatch project and that having others, especially from the west, be part of the project.
Annual Reporting: Hamilton discussed the need to develop an annual report for the project and that he would like to have the report submitted by the end of May 2020. The group decided that each member present would send Hamilton a page summary of their work to date. Hamilton will then compile the material into a report, circulate it for comment and then submit the report to NIMSS.
Next year’s meeting: The group discussed and agreed to hold the 2021 meeting in conjunction with the 2021 eastern branch of the Entomological Society of America’s annual meeting next February in Philadelphia.
Each attendee then gave a short state based report:
Virginia: Bergh (tree fruit) reported that he continues to be part of the ARS areawide project, as is Kuhar and Nielsen, and the USDA SCRI project. The data from each for last year has either been processed and reported on or is in the process of being processed. Nielsen’s lab has been working with the biocontrol data related to the project and Park is analyzing data from 27 traps in the areawide project looking at landscape features that may impact BMSB movement, etc for the areawide project. For 2020, Virginia Tech is allowing work on research farms and grower properties as long as people travel separately and social distancing is observed so he will be able to continue work on both projects. For the SCRI project, Bergh has had one site in West Virginia and one in Fredricks County, VA. Nichole Quinn, his Ph.D. student graduated last year. She has published to papers on her work and has two in review involving BMSB and Trissolcus japonicus. Another of his students, Whitney Hadden, finished a three-year study looking at the abundance of BMSB in orchard and non-orchard sites. Last year, Jarrod Dyer a masters student began looking at T. japonicus foraging ecology. He will also probably not participate in the ecozone SCRI project because of personnel and travel restrictions.
Kuhar (Vegetables) reported that he graduated three students last year and that their papers are coming out. One of their projects looked at the phenology in urban landscapes with trees known to be attached by BMSB. The student found that there was a relationship with when the tree fruited. Another finished and has published her work to develop thresholds for BMSB. As far as new stuff he has very little new going forward and has no student working on BMSB. HE will continue to collaborate and participate in the SCRI project. He then discussed the ecoregion study as it relates to the mid-Atlantic region. Generally, very low number of nymphs were caught most adult catches were in late season. Overall, 58% of the adult catches occur in September, 27.9% in October and 13.2% in August. There also appears to be a trend for more adults in ridge and valley regions. More BMSB were caught in 2019 than 2017 and 2018. This may have been due to hotter temperatures in 2019. Bergh then talked about how this might be related to Nosema infections being lower and higher fall temperatures. Kuhar will share this data with Crowder and the SCRI landscape group.
Florida: Hodges reported that the situation in Florida is different than in than in the mid-Atlantic. She plans to start trapping in May at 11 farms include small organic and larger commercial farms. They may be getting more BMSB at farms with muscadine grapes. They are using a two week sampling scheme. They saw their highest populations in January. Found their first BMSB in Marion County this year. Not sure if it indicates a reproducing populations. They are getting BMSB in other parts of the state. For this year, will continue trapping when they can get back in the field to figure out were they are and where they are going. The will also be looking for Tj. Kuhar asked about nymphal captures. She replied that they don’t catch many nymphs so far. They find reproductive individuals in March. Not sure how much is going on. They find initial activities in January and peak in March and May. They are hard to find after July. Nymphs appear in March. Florida’s growers are not yet concerned about BMSB because of the other stink bugs in Florida that already damage their crops.
New Jersey: Nielsen reported that overall, BMSB populations were up in both South and North Jersey and that she participated in two project, the areawide with 27 raps at two locations and the SCRI with three ecozone sites. Most of her work revolved around Tj projects. One of her students is working on using insectary plants to promote Tj presence last year. COVI-19 has shutdown this down for this year so far. Buckwheat was the most attractive. Her former post doc identified plant volatiles attractive to BMSB and Tj. When they used them outdoors they were not real highly attractive to Tj. She has a hard time finding Tj in orchards. They also did releases of Tj in peaches and wood edges and found that Tj disperses equally between the areas and up to 35 meters from the release sites. They aslo planned to look at Tj resource foraging but that is on hold. Her IPM CPR in apples project should be published very soon.
Hamilton reported that he has been working in central and northern New Jersey with the SCRI ecozone project for the last three years. He has also been working with Kim Hoelmer on the SCRI biocontrol objective looking for Tj at his ecozone sites. In 2019 they also expanded the number of farms being survey as part of the project. He stated concerns about bi-catch with the yellow cards used to survey for Tj due captures of birds, etc. He also found very large number of scorpion flies on the traps at two farms that are located near water sources. His group participated Hajek’s Nosema project. No Nosema was found I the samples he submitted. Lastly, he participated in a project with Hoelmer and Joe Kaser looking at Tj dispersal. Hamilton was unsure what if anything they could do this year because of COVID-19 restrictions. Right now they can only go to the lab to maintain colonies.
Accomplishments
<ul><br /> <li>Refinement of BMSB monitoring methods using clear sticky traps</li><br /> <li>Evaluation of landscape variables in different eco-zones on BMSB density</li><br /> <li>Refinement of development models </li><br /> <li>Evaluation of monitoring traps to access damage thresholds</li><br /> <li>Evaluation of insecticide resistance</li><br /> <li>Evaluation of insecticide treated nets as a management tactic</li><br /> <li>Recovery of Trissolcus japonicus in fruit orchards</li><br /> <li>Refinement of management recommendations for fruit and vegetable growers</li><br /> </ul>Publications
<p>Quinn, N., E. Talamas. T. Leskey, and C. Bergh. 2020. Seasonal activity of <em>Trissolcus japonicus</em> and the effect of habitat type on detection frequency. BioControl, in review</p><br /> <p>Akotsen-Mensah, C., B. Blaauw, B.D. Short, T. Leskey, C. Bergh, D. Polk, and A. Nielsen. 2020. Using IPM-CPR as a management program for apple orchards. J. Econ. Entomol. in press</p><br /> <p>Ludwick, D., W.R. Morrison III, A.L. Acebes-Doria, A.M. Agnello, J.C. Bergh, M.L. Buffington, G.C. Hamilton, J.K. Harper, K.A. Hoelmer, G. Krawczyk, T.P. Kuhar, D.G. Pfeiffer, A.L. Nielsen, K.B. Rice, C. Rodriguez-Saona, P.W. Shearer, P.M. Shrewsbury, E.J. Talamas, J.F. Walgenbach, N.G. Wiman, and T.C. Leskey. 2020. Invasion of the brown marmorated stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) into the USA: 14 Developing a national response to an invasive species crisis through collaborative research 15 and outreach efforts. J. IPM in press</p><br /> <p>Acebes-Doria, A., A. Agnello, D. Alston, H. Andrews, E. Beers, C. Bergh, and 32 others. 2020. Season-long monitoring of the brown marmorated stink bug, <em>Halyomorpha halys</em> (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), throughout the United States using commercially available traps and lures. J. Econ. Entomol. 113: 159-171</p><br /> <p>Acebes-Doria, A., Ludwig, D., Morrison, W., Agnello, A., Bergh, J.C., Buffington, M., Hamilton, G., Harper, J., Hoelmer, K., Krawczyk, G., Kuhar, T., Pfeiffer, D., Nielsen, A., Rice, K., Rodriguez-Saona, C., Shearer, P., Shrewsbury, P. Talamas, E., Walgenbach, J., Wiman, N., Leskey, T. 2020. Invasion of the brown marmorated stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) into the USA: Developing a national response to an invasive species crisis through collaborative research and outreach efforts. Journal of Integrated Pest Management. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jipm/pmaa001">doi.org/10.1093/jipm/pmaa001</a></p><br /> <p>Alford. A., et al. 2020. Baseline toxicity of the insecticides bifenthrin and thiamethoxam on Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) collected from the Eastern U.S.A. Journal of Economic Entomology. doi: 10.1093/jee/toz361</p><br /> <p>Bergh, C., S.V. Joseph, B. Short, M. Nita, and T. Leskey. 2019. Effect of pre-harvest exposures to adult Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera:Pentatomidae) on feeding injury to apple cultivars at harvest and during post-harvest cold storage. Crop Protection 124: article 104872</p><br /> <p>Blaauw, B.B., G. Hamilton, C. Rodriguez-Saona and A.L. Nielsen. 2019. Plant stimuli and their impact on brown marmorated stink bug dispersal and host selection. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution doi: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00414.</p><br /> <p>Britt, K. E., M. K. Pagani, and T. P. Kuhar. 2019. First report of brown marmorated stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) associated with Cannabis sativa (Rosales: Cannabaceae) in the United States. Journal of Integrated Pest Management, Volume 10, Issue 1, 2019, 17, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jipm/pmz014">https://doi.org/10.1093/jipm/pmz014</a></p><br /> <p>Chambers, B. D., T. C. Leskey, A. R. Pearce, and T. P. Kuhar. 2019. Responses of overwintering Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) to dead conspecifics. J. Econ. Entomol.112, Issue 3:1489–1492. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toz011">https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toz011</a></p><br /> <p>Hancock, T., D.-H. Lee, C. Bergh, W. Morrison III, and T. Leskey. 2019. Presence of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, <em>Halyomorpha halys</em> (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), on home exteriors during the autumn dispersal period: Results generated by citizen scientists. Agric. and Forest Entomol. 21: 99-180</p><br /> <p>Kuhar, T. P., J. A. Morehead, and A. J. Formella. 2019. Applications of kaolin protect fruiting vegetables from brown marmorated stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). J. Entomol. Sci. 54(4):401-408 (2019). https://doi.org/10.18474/JES18-126</p><br /> <p>Morrison, W. III, B. Blaauw, B. Short, A. Nielsen, C. Bergh, G. Krawczyk, Y.-L. Park, B. Butler, A. Khrimian, and T. Leskey. 2019. Successful management of <em>Halyomorpha halys</em> (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in commercial apple orchards with an attract-and-kill strategy. Pest Manag. Sci. 75: 104-114</p><br /> <p>Quinn, N., E. Talamas, A.L. Acebes-Doria, T. Leskey, and C. Bergh. 2019. Vertical sampling in tree canopies for Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) life stages and its egg parasitoid, <em>Trissolcus japonicus</em> (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae). Environ. Entomol. 48: 173-180</p><br /> <p>Quinn, N., E. Talamas, T. Leskey, and C. Bergh. 2019. Sampling methods for adventive <em>Trissolcus japonicus </em>(Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) in a wild tree host of <em>Halyomorpha halys</em> (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 112: 1997-2000</p><br /> <p>Valentin, R., D.M. Fonseca, S. Gable, K. Kyle, G.C. Hamilton, A.L. Nielsen, and J.L. Lockwood. 2020. Moving eDNA surveys onto land: Strategies for active eDNA aggregation to detect invasive forest insects. Molecular Ecology Resources. dx.doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.13151</p>Impact Statements
- Members of this project have been involved in several grants during the first year of the multistate project. All members are members of the USDA SCRI grant entitled "Management of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in US Specialty Crops and the USDA ARS Areawide Project targeting the management of BMSB. Both projects began 9/1/16. Because of the work done by the participants, conventional and organic growers have a better understanding of how to manage BMSB populations and minimize damage. Initially, a grower’s sole tactic was to spray crops on a calendar basis. This was especially true in tree fruit where growers sprayed one to two times per season prior to the appearance of BMSB. Today, because of the work done by members of the project, growers have methods they can use to monitor crops and as a result have refined their control strategies, resulting in reduced insecticide applications. While this should be considered progress, BMSB management tactics are still not optimal, and ongoing reliance on certain insecticides against it continue to result in secondary pest outbreaks. Because of this, work to develop more sustainable management methods needs to be continued.
Date of Annual Report: 02/03/2022
Report Information
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2020 - 12/31/2021
Participants
George Hamilton (ghamilto@NJAES.rutgers.edu) - Rutgers UniversityAnne Nielsen (annielse@njaes.rutgers.edu) - Rutgers University
Greg Krawczyk (gxk13@psu.edu) – Penn State University
Chris Bergh (cbergh@vt.edu) - Virginia Tech
Thomas Kuhar (tkuhar@vt.edu) - Virginia Tech
Julia Wilson (jkwilson@msu.edu) - Michigan State University
Mark Hutton (mark.hutton@maine.edu) - University of Maine
Brief Summary of Minutes
Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting
Administrative Liaison’s to the Multistate 5-year Research Project: Mark Hutton introduced himself and then updated us on coming changes to the multistate system. Due to the changes at NIFA oversight on the projects will be shifting to the experiment stations in each region. Tom Kuhar asked what the regional experiments systems were. There are four multistate regions. We are in the Northeast region. The other three regions are the Western, North Central and Southeastern.
NIFA Liaison to the Multistate 5-year Research Project: Our liaison, Erica Kistner Thomas could not join us due to a family emergency. However, she did provide a videotaped update, which Hamilton played. She talked about how NIFA is ramping up in terms of hiring additional national program leaders (NPL) (going from 40 to 50). Right now she is the only entomologist but this will be changing in January 2022. The other NPL’s that we may interact with in terms of grant programs are Vijay Nandula and Logan Appenfeller. She then discussed the AFRI programs (Pollinator Health and Pest and Beneficial Species in Agricultural Production Systems), the AFRI New Investigator SEED Grants, and the Crop Protection and Pest Management (CPPM).
Next year’s meeting: The group discussed and agreed to hold the 2021 meeting in conjunction with the eastern branch of the Entomological Society of America’s annual meeting in March 2023. The meeting will be held in Providence, RU. Hutton confirmed that this would be okay even though its outside of the normal reporting period.
Annual Reporting: Hamilton discussed the need to develop an annual report for the project that need to be submitted within 60 days of the meeting. The group decided that each member present would send Hamilton a summary of their work to date. Hamilton will then compile the material into a report, circulate it for comment and then submit the report to NIMSS.
Each attendee then gave a short state-based report:
Michigan: Wilson has taken over the work that Larry Gut was doing. This involved looking at attract and kill systems around apple orchards, perimeter trapping next to woods and relating presence with damage. Low populations in Michigan may be impacting this. She is also trying to get Rescue to bring back their traps and working on optimizing damage thresholds. She is not sure where she will be taking BMSB research yet. Her last project involved Tj releases by a new master’s student who released 2000 adult Tj and deployed sentinel egg masses. All the egg masses caught Tj and/or endemic parasitoids.
New Jersey: Nielsen reported that that she published on the impact of plant volatiles on B<SB nymphs and the influence on BMSB diapause termination. She participated in two projects, the ARS areawide project and the USDA BMSB SCRI grant. Nielsen then reported that BMSB populations were lower than expected this year and that she has a new graduate student, Emma Watson, that will be examining the impact of insectary plans on Trissolcus japonicus (Tj) establishment and impact. She will also look at the impact of buckwheat insectary plants use in orchards has on orchard management practices.
Hamilton reported that he has been doing more work with spotted lanternfly (SLF) but has two undergraduate researchers looking at the response of Tj and BMSB nymphs to a variety of plant volatiles using a four-arm olfactometer system.
Pennsylvania: Krawczyk reported the main thing he worked on trapping using different trapping techniques because some industry folks complained that their traps are not being used. His results show that the current standards use is the most effective. He could not get the panel trap used in the west to work because they get covered with leaves during September and October. He then stated that the Rescue are no longer available. That leaves the pyramid and clear sticky card traps. He also participated in the areawide project but didn’t see much difference between treatments. Like Hamilton he is currently more concentrated on SLF. He also observed less BMSB than expected.
Virginia: Bergh (Tree Fruit) reported that his group published three BMSB related publications last year, one on the effect of host plants and habitat type on seasonal Tj population changes, a second paper on effects of border habitat type (forest, urban, agriculture, etc.) on BMSB captures, and a third on the use of use of pheromone trap transects in orchards next to wooded going 50m into both areas to look at spatial temporal changes in BMSB capture rates during the growing season. He was involved in the ARS areawide project that ended this year and that the results are being compiled. He continued his Tj redistribution project at 9 sites throughout Virginia and monitored both BMSB and Tj. This year he detected Tj at four of the nine sites, one of which was a new detection. Finally, his master student Jerrod Dyer completed his thesis this year. He finished two two-year projects looking at the effect of the yellow sticky card traps position in tree of heaven on Tj detections and looking at the relationship between BMSB captures and Tj captures during the growing season.
Kuhar (Vegetables) reported that he wasn’t as busy as Chris with BMSB and Tj work this year. He was part a study that was published this year by Tracy Leskey on refining pheromone lures across the US and Europe. He evaluated insecticide work in edamame that was published in arthropod management tests and revised an experiment station publication on BMSB. He and his students gave presentations at various meetings. He finished work looking at ghost trap usage in sweet corn in conjunction with the University of Kentucky. Unfortunately, the electric fence around the plots didn’t keep black bears from destroying the plots. He had a student working on looking the impacts on edamame from BSM feeding since its very susceptible to damage. Another student with another department is looking at what feeding does to the chemical in the seeds. His is kind at the end of working with this insect but still has several publications that need to write. He will continue doing insecticide trails with new products that come to the marketplace. Currently there are some new promising products.
Accomplishments
<p><strong>Accomplishments</strong></p><br /> <p><strong> </strong></p><br /> <ul><br /> <li>Refinement of BMSB monitoring methods using clear sticky traps</li><br /> <li>Evaluation of landscape variables in different eco-zones on BMSB density</li><br /> <li>Refinement of development models </li><br /> <li>Optimization of damage thresholds</li><br /> <li>Evaluation of new insecticides for BMSB management</li><br /> <li>Evaluation of BMSB impact in edamame</li><br /> <li>Recovery and redistribution of Trissolcus japonicus in fruit orchards</li><br /> <li>Refinement of management recommendations for fruit and vegetable growers</li><br /> </ul>Publications
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Publications</span></p><br /> <p>Leskey, T.C., H. Andrews, A. Bády, L. Benvenuto, I. Bernardinelli, B. Blaauw, P. Bortolotti, L. Bosco, E. Di Bella, G. Hamilton, T. Kuhar, D. Ludwick, L. Maistrello, G. Malossini, R. Nannini, L. Nixon, E. Pasqualini, M. Preti, B. Short, L. Spears, L. Tavella, G. Vétek, and N. Wiman. 2021. Refining pheromone lures for the invasive <em>Halyomorpha halys</em> (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) through collaborative trials in the USA and Europe. J. Econ. Entomol. doi: 10.1093/jee/toab088</p><br /> <p>Quinn, N.F., E.J. Talamas, T.C. Leskey, and J.C. Bergh. 2021. Seasonal captures of <em>Trissolcus japonicus</em> (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) and the effects of habitat type and tree species on detection frequency. Insects. 12: 1–12</p><br /> <p>Bergh, J.C., W.R. Morrison III, J.W. Stallrich, B.D. Short, J.P. Cullum, and T.C. Leskey. 2021. Border habitat effects on captures of <em>Halyomorpha halys</em> (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in pheromone traps and fruit injury at harvest in apple and peach orchards in the Mid-Atlantic, USA. Insects 12(5), 419; <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12050419">https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12050419</a></p><br /> <p>Sutton, K., H. Doughty, T. Kuhar, and S. Rideout. 2021. Evaluation of insecticides to control southern green stink bug in edamame, 2020. Arthropod Management Tests, Volume 46, Issue 1, 2021, tsab081, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/amt/tsab081">https://doi.org/10.1093/amt/tsab081</a></p><br /> <p>Lopez, L., T. Kuhar, S. Taylor, and K. Sutton. 2021. Biology and Management of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in Mid Atlantic Soybean. Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication. No. ENTO-450NP. https://resources.ext.vt.edu/contentdetail?contentid=3212</p><br /> <p> </p><br /> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Presentations</span></p><br /> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></p><br /> <p><em>Research</em></p><br /> <p>Dyer J.E., E.J. Talamas, T.C. Leskey, and J.C. Bergh. 2020. Sampling <em>Trissolcus japonicus</em> using yellow sticky traps: Does location in the tree canopy matter?” Entomological Society of America, November 11-25 2020. Virtual</p><br /> <p>Hadden, W.T., T.C. Leskey, and J.C. Bergh. 2020. Retention of <em>Halyomorpha halys</em> (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) adults and nymphs on wild and cultivated host trees as a proxy for host acceptability at different points in the growing season. Entomological Society of America, November 11-25 2020. Virtual</p><br /> <p>Hamilton, G. and P. Girod. 2020. <em>Halyomorpha halys</em> in New Jersey: The more we know, the more we know we don’t know? – Monitoring, adventive population of <em>Trissolcus japonicus</em> and biological control. Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting.</p><br /> <p>Dyer, J., E. Talamas, T. Leskey, and C. Bergh. 2020. Are captures of <em>Trissolcus japonicus </em>correlated with those of its host, <em>Halyomorpha halys</em>? Cumberland-Shenandoah Fruit Workers Conference, December 2-4, Winchester, Virginia. Virtual</p><br /> <p>Hadden, W., T. Leskey, and C. Bergh. 2020. Deciphering the seasonal host use patterns of <em>Halyomorpha halys </em>on select deciduous plants. Cumberland-Shenandoah Fruit Workers Conference, December 2-4, Winchester, Virginia. Virtual</p><br /> <p>Bergh, C., A. Edwards, C. MacRae, and N. Brandt. 2020. Re-distributing <em>Trissolcus japonicus </em>in Virginia: 2020 Update. Cumberland-Shenandoah Fruit Workers Conference, December 2-4, Winchester, Virginia. Virtual</p><br /> <p>McDougall, R., D. Ludwick, T. Leskey, G. Krawczyk, C. Bergh, Y.-L. Park, and A. Nielsen, 2020. Effects of land use on the natural enemies of brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys). Cumberland-Shenandoah Fruit Workers Conference, December 2-4, Winchester, Virginia. Virtual</p><br /> <p>Ben-Zvi, Y., G. Hamilton and C. Hawkings. 2021. The effects of volatile organic compounds on host seeking behavior of <em>Trissolcus japonicus. </em>Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting.</p><br /> <p>Dyer, J.E., E.J. Talamas, T.C. Leskey, and J.C. Bergh. 2021. <em>Halyomorpha halys</em> egg mass abundance and detections of its egg parasitoid, <em>Trissolcus japonicus</em>, in wild host trees baited with aggregation pheromone. Symposium: Research Advances in Invasive Pests by Early-Career Scientists, Entomological Society of America Eastern Branch, March 22 – 24. Virtual</p><br /> <p>Kuhar, T. 2021. Update on BMSB from the Mid-Atlantic U.S. BMSB Virtual SCRI Stakeholder Advisory Panel Meeting, February 17, 2021 Virtual.</p><br /> <p>Kuhar, T. P. 2021. Insect pest response to vegetable soybean genotypes bred for commercial edamame production in Virginia. 2021 Soybean Breeders virtual workshop: Entomology and Breeding Innovation, February 22-24, 2021. <a href="https://www.soybase.org/meeting_presentations/soybean_breeders_workshop">https://www.soybase.org/meeting_presentations/soybean_breeders_workshop</a>.</p><br /> <p>Sutton, K. Kuhar T.P., Rideout S., and Doughty H. 2021. Developing an IPM program for edamame in Virginia. Entomological Society of America Eastern Branch. March 23, 2021. Virtual.</p><br /> <p>Woobey, J., Ben-Zvi, Y., G. Hamilton and C. Hawkings. 2021. The influence of volatile organic compounds on the life stages of <em>Halyomorpha halys</em> and implications for biological control. Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting.</p><br /> <p> </p><br /> <p><em>Extension</em></p><br /> <p>Kuhar, T. Fall Vegetable Pest Updates, VCE AG Today Virtual Meeting, October 29, 2020.</p><br /> <p>Kuhar, T. Fall Vegetable Pest Updates, Shenandoah Valley Vegetable Grower Virtual Meeting, October 29, 2020</p><br /> <p>Bergh, C. Virtual presentations to tree fruit producers in Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland on March 31, April 7, April 14, April 21, April 28, May 5, May 12, May 19, and May 26, 2021</p><br /> <p>Bergh, C. In-person orchard meetings with tree fruit producers in Virginia on April 21, May 5, May 19, and June 2, 2021</p><br /> <p>Bergh, C. Public Open House at the Winchester AREC, August 14, 2021</p><br /> <p>Kuhar, T. Vegetable Production Meeting, Fancy Gap, VA, Jan 14, 2021</p><br /> <p>Kuhar, T. Chattanooga Elementary Schools – Invasive Species Chat with an Expert – Virtual – Feb 23, 2021.</p><br /> <p>Kuhar, T. Virginia Coop. Ext. In-service Training – Urban vegetable production, Virtual, March 3, 2021</p><br /> <p>Kuhar, T. VA Association of Biological Farming Conference, Roanoke, VA, March 18, 2021</p><br /> <p>Kuhar, T. Virginia Coop. Ext. In-service Training – Organic Vegetables, Virtual, March 22, 2021</p><br /> <p>Kuhar, T. Southside, VA vegetable Production - virtual meeting – VCE Joanne Jones, Sep 2, 2021</p><br /> <p>Kuhar, T. Southside, VA vegetable Production - meeting – Phenix, VA, Nov 17, 2021</p>Impact Statements
- Members of this project were involved in USDA SCRI and USDA ARS funded projects during the last year. Both grants ended at the end of August 2021. Several of the members were also part of an unsuccessful grant submitted to the USDA SCRI grant program in 2021. This grant proposed to increase the use of biological control in BMSB management programs. This grant will be resubmitted in 2022. Due to the work done by members of this working group, conventional and organic growers are better able to manage BMSB populations and minimize damage. This was especially true in tree fruit where growers rarely sprayed insecticides or limited the type of insecticides used prior to the appearance of BMSB. Today, because of the work done by members of the project, growers have better methods to monitor crops, can refine their control strategies, reduce insecticide applications and begin to incorporate biological control into their management schemes.
Date of Annual Report: 04/03/2024
Report Information
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2019 - 09/30/2023
Participants
Participants:George Hamilton (ghamilto@NJAES.rutgers.edu) - Rutgers University
Anne Nielsen (annielse@njaes.rutgers.edu) - Rutgers University
Chris Bergh (cbergh@vt.edu) - Virginia Tech
Thomas Kuhar (tkuhar@vt.edu) - Virginia Tech
Amanda Hodges (achodges@ufl.edu) - University of Florida
Greg Krawczyk (gxk13@psu.edu) – Penn State University
Julia Wilson (jkwilson@msu.edu) - Michigan State University
Mark Hutton (mark.hutton@maine.edu) - University of Maine
Brief Summary of Minutes
The full document of minutes is uploaded as an attachment to the proposal.
Statement of Issue: The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys Stål (BMSB) is a highly polyphagous stink bug of Asian origin. In its native range of China, Korea, and Japan, it is considered a periodic agricultural pest of soybeans, tree fruit and various ornamental and vegetable crops. The brown marmorated stink bug is also a nuisance pest in these countries due to its overwintering behavior of entering enclosed structures such as residences in large numbers each fall. Since its introduction into the United States around 1996, it has spread to all but six states and the District of Columbia. Halyomorpha halys has also established populations in Canada, numerous European countries, South America, and potentially southern Africa. It has also been intercepted in other countries such as New Zealand and Australia. In the United States BMSB has become a homeowner nuisance wherever it has established and in the eastern United States H. halys become a severe agricultural pest on both conventional and organic farms with little (insecticide use) or no management options. Halyomorpha halys is an emerging pest in Southern and Midwestern United States. In the western United States growers in agricultural areas of California, Oregon, and Washington where BMSB is becoming established are also concerned about its impacts because it has been shown to be damaging tree and nuts crops in these areas. In the United States where BMSB is currently a pest, it also attacks a wider range of agricultural crops than in Asia. Currently, damage is seen in numerous vegetables, tree fruit and field crops, and in nurseries. Due to this, failure to address this issue on a regional/national basis will result in severe losses in a variety of cropping systems including peaches, apples, soybeans and peppers resulting in economic hardships by growers and potential farm failures.
Need: In 2010, in response to severe losses in the mid-Atlantic United States due to BMSB, Drs. Tracy Leskey (USDA ARS) and George Hamilton (Rutgers University) created the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Working Group via a grant from the Northeastern IPM Center. The working group’s goals were to bring together researchers, growers and others with the intent to discuss the situation and identify needs research and extension needs and priorities. The first meeting generated a long list of needs and priorities. They can be found at http://www.northeastipm.org/working-groups/bmsb-working-group/priorities-and-reports/. Due to continued funding from the Northeastern IPM Center, this group continues to meet and has grown to over 80 members from throughout the United States. Each time the group meets the list of priorities/needs are discussed and modified. As a priority is met it is removed. New priorities are added when needed. This proposal's objectives reflect current needs established by the working group and will be modified during the life of the project to reflect changes in priorities as identified by the working group. A multi-state approach to this issue is warranted given the heavy losses incurred by agricultural producers in the eastern United States since 2010. In 2010, this insect’s presence in mid-Atlantic apples resulted in $37 million in losses (American/Western Fruit Grower 2011) and in the tree fruit growing regions of Virginia and West Virginia damage approached 90% (Leskey & Hamilton 2010). Organic producers in this area observed similar amounts of damage to numerous fruits and vegetables. In 2011 and 2012, comparable damage levels were again observed in these and other eastern states and crops (apples, pears, peaches, tomatoes, peppers, grapes, brambles sweet and field corn and soybeans) from Virginia to New York. As a result of the current multistate project (NEERA 1306) and several USDA grants (OREI – 1, SCRI – 2) obtained by its members progress has been made in the management of H. halys resulting in damage reductions in tree fruit and vegetables. However, these reductions continue to be the result of heavy insecticide use by growers and have resulted in outbreaks of secondary pests previously managed by natural enemies. Continuing the current multi-state project to address the on-going needs currently identified by the BMSB working group and others will bring together researchers already working on this issue in the Northeast and other parts of the United States once a year to discuss, identify, and adjust research needs and priorities, and present progress updates. This approach will also allow participating researchers to coordinate their activities to avoid duplication. Finally, since this insect has spread throughout the United States, creating a multi-state project has the potential to bring together researchers from the northeast, from other geographic regions and from other cropping systems not present in the Northeast (cotton, nuts, etc.). Justification: The brown marmorated stink bug was first observed in the United States in Allentown, PA around 1996 but was initially misidentified as a native pentatomid species. Following correct identification in 2001, it has been found in over 40 states. In several eastern states, its presence in agricultural crops has been confirmed in 2009 and was documented causing severe damage to apples, peaches, pears, peppers and tomatoes. In 2010, 2011 and 2012 damage by this insect was also observed in brambles, field corn, grapes, ornamentals, soybeans, and sweet corn. Traditionally, management of stink bugs in soybeans, tree fruit and horticultural crops was accomplished through the use of targeted applications of organophosphate insecticides. However, with the passage of the Food Quality Protection Act in 1996, these materials have been slowly phased out resulting in increased damage by stink bugs in these crops. The addition of BMSB with its high rates of reproduction and survival puts these crops at greater risk. Many of the insecticides currently available to growers have variable effects (limited knockdown, recovery once treated, etc.) on resident populations and little or no residual effects on future invaders into treated fields and orchards. In the laboratory pyrethroid insecticides, the replacement for organophosphate insecticides in many cases, exhibit high levels of toxicity to the brown marmorated stink bug fifth instars and adults as do various neonicotinoid insecticides (imidacloprid and dinotefuran). Testing under field conditions has shown that pyrethroids such as bifenthrin to be the most efficacious. Prior to BMSB becoming a problem, pyrethroid use was discouraged in tree fruit and vegetables because of their negative effects to natural enemies. Today, due to the issues mentioned above, in many cases growers continue to rely on weekly applications of pyrethroids and neonicotinoids to manage BMSB thus abandoning 40 years of IPM program development. This use pattern has caused secondary outbreaks of pest such as the wooly apple aphid, San Jose scale and European red mites that were previously controlled by natural enemies putting growers on a "pesticide treadmill" that could lead to complete failures of management programs for BMSB and other pests. In Asia, the brown marmorated stink bug is attacked by several egg parasitoids and one species of tachinid fly. However, as is customary with newly introduced species, natural enemies are rarely introduced at the same time. Two egg parasitoids and a tachinid fly have been observed attacking the brown marmorated stink bug in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey but are generalist natural enemies and therefore not specific to the brown marmorated stink bug. Several native predators, including minute pirate bugs, ladybugs and spiders do attack BMSB. However, as with native parasitoids, their impact has been limited. The use of microbial agents is another potential non-chemical control method. However, to date, screening for possible candidates with toxicity to the brown marmorated stink bug has had limited success. Exploration in Asia to find possible biological control agents has identified several potential parasitoids. One, Trissolcus japonicus, a highly effective egg parasitoid of BMSB in Asia, is currently in quarantine undergoing host specificity testing. In the last 3 years, naturally occurring populations of this parasitoid (i.e., genetically distinct from the strain in quarantine) have been found in several eastern states and in Oregon and Washington. These finding have resulted in the need to investigate in the field their impact on H. halys and other native stink bugs, and how best to use them for control of BMSB in agricultural situations.
In addition, wherever, the brown marmorated stink bug occurs it has become a severe residential nuisance pest. Currently, while progress has been made because of this multistate project there are still no adequate pest management alternatives to prevent overwintering brown marmorated stink bug adults from entering residences in areas where they occur. Current recommendations for caulking of windows and/or the sealing of cracks and voids in exterior walls, eaves, etc. and the limited use of insecticides on external building surfaces can provide limited control but are not 100% effective. Unfortunately, homeowners, commercial building managers and pest control professionals continue create their own potential solutions through the illegal insecticides in attics and blanket treatment of exterior surfaces and interior walls with insecticides. These practices pose health risks to homeowners, their families, and the environment.