Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The meeting was convened at 1:00 pm at the Rutgers University Inn and Conference Center, New Brunswick, NJ. Members Present: Chris Bergh, Ricardo Bessin, George Hamilton (chair), Thomas Kuhar, Brian Kunkel, Chris Maier, Anne Nielsen, and Cesar Rodriguez-Saona. Brad Hillman, the projects administrative advisor was also present. 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 January 2013. This is important since our project ends at the end of July 2013. The group decided that each member present would send Hamilton a 1-2 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. Conversion to a 5-year Project: The group discussed converting the current project to a standard 5-year multistate project. All in attendance agreed this should be done. Hillman then discussed the process starting with submitting a request to write. Hamilton will develop this request and submit it hopefully by the end of December 2012. Potential Funding Opportunities: The group discussed the current funding for BMSB research and the possibility of collectively obtaining future grants from funders such as NIFA and the IPM Centers. The group agreed that if members identified potential opportunities that they would bring them to the attention of the group. Other Issues: The group then discussed when and where to have our next meeting. Since most of us attend several of the same meetings already, the group was unanimous in its desire not to have the meeting as a stand-alone meeting. Several possibilities were discussed including having it during the national ESA meeting, the Eastern Branch ESA meeting or the summer BMSB Working Group meeting held by Tracy Leskey and George Hamilton. The latter appeared to be the best option since people with an interest in BMSB from all over the US already attend this meeting. Hamilton will talk with Leskey about this. (Side note: Leskey is in favor of doing this. She and Hamilton plan to include this connection in the next NE IPM Center grant that currently supports the working group). The meeting was adjourned at 2:00 pm.

Connecticut: Chris Maier - Connecticut citizens, especially farmers, have become increasingly concerned about the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, because they continue to learn about its potential negative impact at meetings and in articles in newspapers and trade journals. Initially, growers want to know how to detect the brown marmorated stink bug. Soon they will want to know how to relate trap captures with damage potential. Over the past 5 years, I have verified the identification of stink bug specimens brought to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (New Haven and Windsor) and to county extension offices around the state. Furthermore, I have been contacted directly about sightings in the state, which has led to additional distributional records. The brown marmorated stink bug was first detected in one town in coastal Connecticut in 2008, but no further reports were filed until 2010. Since then, the cumulative number of verified reports has reached 125; the stink bug now occurs in all of the counties in the state. With four exceptions, all of the recorded stink bugs were ones that apparently had sought shelter in homes, business offices, or various outbuildings in late summer. To date, no crop damage has been reported. In 2012, a 22-watt Bioquip blacklight trap was operated in the center of Lockwood Farm, the experimental farm of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in Hamden, New Haven Co, between late March and the end of October. A total of 15 adults were captured between the end of July and early September. The number of adults captured generally corresponds to that of a population below damaging levels. Once adults are captured in spring and at higher levels in the late summer, crop damage might be expected. From August to September, four types of traps baited with pheromone (methyl 2,4,6 decatrienoate) were deployed along a forest-apple orchard border in Hamden in an attempt to determine their usefulness as monitoring tools. Each trap (Alpha Scents black panel trap, green uni-trap, red sticky trap, and white delta trap) was replicated 10 times (total of 40 traps in trial). Unfortunately, probably due to low population levels, only two adults of the brown marmorated stink bug were captured in the 2-month experiment. Next field season the blacklight trap will be operated in the same location to detect potential population increases. Also, the experiment with different (non-light) traps may be repeated with some modifications. Delaware: Ornamentals (Nursery, greenhouse, landscape), Brian Kunkel - An IR Pesticide efficacy project involving Crimson King maples were sprayed with various products and 3 d later BMSB adults were confined in mesh bags. These bags were carefully removed and brought into the laboratory to record mortality 24 h later. Insects were observed for an additional 24 h in the laboratory to see if affected BMSB showed signs of recovery. Adult BMSB were bagged on randomly determined treated terminals at 3, 7, 16 and 21 DAT with mortality recorded as described each time. Aloft, Flagship, Talstar, Tristar, Onyx, Safari and Scimitar provided >70 control of BMSB early in trials; however residual activity quickly diminished by 16 DAT. Cooperative BMSB projects with colleagues at the University of Maryland as part of the BMSB Ornamentals SCRI grant are investigating potential herbaceous host plants and will benefit many of the greenhouses in the mid-Atlantic. Few BMSB were found on herbaceous plants throughout the year, although August and September did find BMSB on woody ornamentals. Production areas at local public gardens were also examined for BMSB with little success. Nearby states (PA, MD, NJ) had nurseries willing to cooperate with locating BMSB populations and those insects found were typically on woody ornamentals such as maples and plane trees. Wild (not sentinel/placed) egg masses were occasionally found and when encountered 5  10% had experienced some level of predation or parasitoid activity. Research plots at the University of Delaware found greater populations of BMSB on native woody ornamentals versus non-natives and all stages were difficult to find until around late July. Insect Ecology, Doug Tallamy - Through a laboratory rearing experiment we determined that BMSB require fruits to reach maturity when fed three diet treatments: using Cornus alternafolia, we fed 1st and 2nd instar nymphs either water alone, leaves alone, or fruits alone. Only the treatment receiving fruits alone developed normally and reached maturity. We conclude from this study that BMSB is a frugivore as opposed to a folivore. This explains it's extraordinary host range, as fruits are not defended chemically the way leaves are and no specialized adaptations need to be in place in order to exploit evolutionarily novel plants. Field and Vegetable Entomology, Joanne Whalen & Bill Cissel - Two projects funded by the United Soybean Board ( Regional Project with University of Maryland and Virginia Tech  2012-2013) and the DE Soybean Board (2011 - 2012) were conducted. In 2012, a survey of the distribution of BMSB in soybeans begun in 2010 was expanded to include areas of the state not surveyed the past two years. Survey results in 2012 confirm that BMSB continue to pose the greatest threat in New Castle and Kent County. Twelve percent of the fields surveyed in Sussex County were infested with BMSB. This is a significant increase from the findings in 2011 in which none of the Sussex County fields surveyed had BMSB infestations. A second project examining perimeter treatments to manage stink bugs in soybeans was conducted. Stink bug populations were monitored pre and post-treatment on a weekly basis by performing 300 sweep net samples in the field perimeters (0-100 ft) and in the field interiors (>100 ft). In the fields where perimeter treatments were applied, BMSB populations were significantly reduced along the field perimeters and stink bug populations remained low in the field interiors. These findings along with prior years research suggest that perimeter treatments can be used as a successful management strategy to control BMSB in soybeans. Peppers, Whalen and Cissel  The second year of a project funded by Northeast IPM Center (regional grant with Rutgers University, Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland) involving two objectives was completed. The first involved the evaluation of pepper cultivar susceptibility : Three pepper varieties, Paladin bell peppers, Bounty banana peppers, and Sparky jalapeno peppers were evaluated for their susceptibility to BMSB feeding damage. Over the two years of the study, no significant difference was found between these 3 varieties in regards to percent damaged fruit. In 2011, peak BMSB counts occurred at the same time in all varieties with the highest numbers being found in the Sparky variety. In 2012, population levels were the same in all three varieties. The second involved the determination of parasitism levels by native egg parasitoids. Both wild found egg masses and sentinel egg masses were collected to evaluate parasitism and predation. In the sentinel egg masses, the parasitism rate was 33 percent and the predation rate was 42 percent. In the wild egg masses, the parasitism rate was approximately 55 percent and the predation rate was 42 percent. Sweet Corn, Whalen and Cissel -- A sentinel BMSB egg mass parasitoid trial funded by a USDA SCRI grant was also conducted in untreated area of this corn plot. Both wild found egg masses and sentinel egg masses collected from live wells were used to evaluate parasitism and predation. In the sentinel egg masses, the parasitism rate was 71 percent and the predation rate was almost 50% percent. In the wild egg masses, the parasitism rate was approximately 57 percent and the predation rate was almost 36% percent. Lima Beans, Whalen and Cissel - A sentinel lima bean plot was established to look at the biology and phenology of BMSB in lima beans. A low percentage ( approximately 2 percent) of damage was observed on plots infested at the pin and flat pod stages. An insecticide trial was also conducted. No significant damage was found when comparing the treatments to the untreated control. Kentucky: Bessin - Kentucky is on the leading edge of increasing populations of the brown marmorated stink bug. From a research perspective this gives us an opportunity to study how the invasion of this new pest will affect the composition of stink bugs in soybeans and its effects on native egg parasitoids of native stink bugs. As such we have just completed a 3-year study conducted in 16 KY counties where three soybean fields per county were surveyed by sweep net (100 sweeps) each of four weeks during the soybean reproductive period. This information will serve as a baseline to compare the post invasion surveys with. We have been closely watching the invasion of BMSB in Kentucky and have now confirmed it in 22 counties in northern, central and eastern Kentucky. These samples are primarily generated through samples submitted by county extension personnel. As few options are available for BMSB in organic vegetable crops, screening materials of varying size meshes were evaluated in the laboratory as an initial evaluation. It was found that adults, fourth and fifth instars could be excluded mechanically with a 1/6 size mesh. This study will be continued in the field in 2013 and additional life stages will be studied as they become available for bioassay. Additional studies are planned to look at parasitism of sentinel BMSB and native stink bug eggs in soybeans this summer. New Jersey: Nursery, Hamilton - During 2012, a nursery planting containing 24 species of field grown ornamental trees was sampled from the beginning of June through September. This work was done to investigate BMSB phenology in different tree species and to examine movement between trees. Weekly samples were taken using beat samples (five beats per tree) during all nymphs and adults found were recorded. Weekly sampling showed that BMSB adults preferred various species throughout the season. The species where BMSB was found most often include redbud, American ash and green ash. Several species were suitable hosts for nymphal BMSB. Peaches/Nectarines, Hamilton - The second year of a study comparing the use of beat sampling versus visual counts was conducted. The results of this comparison will be used to develop a model so that both sample methods can be used interchangeably to monitor BMSB adults and nymphs. This study is also being used to examine BMSB phenology in both peaches and apples. Each year, beat sampling was shown to be the most effective method; however, once fruit began ripen visual counts became the most effective technique. Pepper, Hamilton - The second year of a project funded by the USDA regional IPM program examining varietal (bell - Paladin, banana - Bounty and jalapeno - Sparky) differences in susceptibility to BMSB feeding, and the phenology and the stage of plant develop that damage occurs in bell peppers was conducted in 2012. These studies were also conducted in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. No consistent varietal differences in feeding damage was seen between Sparky, Bounty and Paladin peppers. Studies in bell pepper to examine BMSB phenology showed that adult BMSB entered fields in late July/early August and remained until early September.. Damage to peppers was shown to occur after developing fruit reached 3.5" in size. Blacklight monitoring, Hamilton - Adult BMSB populations were monitored from late May though mid October using a network of ~60-70 blacklight traps distributed on vegetable throughout New Jersey. Biweekly samples are used to create weekly distribution maps that are used to alert growers to regional population changes. These maps are distributed online, via hard copy newsletters delivered via US mail and a fax-back phone system, and an ap available for apple products. In 2013, this information will also be also be provided via pest related blog maintained by Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Insecticide assays, Hamilton - Studies examining the toxicity of various structural pest control insecticides and formulations to BMSB adults were evaluated using a potter spray tower. Both topical and residual exposure studies were conducted. These studies showed a wide range of both topical and residual toxicity depending on the material tested. Overall, dinotefuran alone and in combination with other active ingredients resulted in the highest levels of mortality. Blacklight Monitoring, Nielsen  During 2012, Together with George Hamilton, we are comparing visual counts, beat samples and black light traps for their efficiency and accuracy at monitoring BMSB populations. We expect that we will soon be able to relate the population densities identified from these methods to injury and economic thresholds. BMSB Phenology, Nielsen  During 2012, a phenological model was developed by Nielsen and tested in multiple locations based on degree-day accumulations and female reproductive development. Once verified, this will define the appropriate biofix to use to begin accumulation of degree-days, an essential first step in forecasting populations for IPM programs. Peaches, Nielsen  During 2012, peach and nectarine orchards were monitored twice weekly for the presence of BMSB adults, nymphs and eggs. Populations were quite low in the early part of the season, despite an early spring. At the end of the season, unsprayed fruit were evaluated by cutting a peeling 25 fruit/tree. Stink bug in jury ranged from 48-100% injury. Eleven synthetic chemicals and four OMRI-approved compounds were also evaluated through either laboratory or field tests in peach to identify their fit into management programs for BMSB. This testing may result in peaches/BMSB being added to the insecticide label. Blueberries, Rodriguez-Saona - To examine how landscape factors influence the spatial and temporal distribution of BMSB we recorded BMSB at 9 different blueberry farms throughout southern New Jersey. We will compile this information with our future 2013 field season results and create a map depicting BMSB dispersal. Understanding interactions between BMSB distribution and landscape factors in blueberry farms will allow growers to better utilize management strategies to control BMSB. To complement our mapping studies, we investigated BMSB behavior in response to fruit that has been previously damaged by BMSB feeding. In addition, we are currently exploring the interaction of BMSB-induced volatiles on a generalist zoophytophagous predator, Orius spp, a wide spread natural enemy. Since blueberries are ranked among the top antioxidant-rich foods we have also been exploring how BMSB damage influences blueberry health and quality. This was accomplished by testing proanthocyanidin (antioxidant) levels in fruit with feeding damage and fruit without feeding damage. The effects of BMSB feeding damage and BMSB density on fruit development and quality were tracked during the growing season in semi-field experiments. Our results this past season will help guide us in future directions addressing BMSB distribution and affects of BMSB damage on blueberry crops. The potential contributions of studying BMSB movement, behavior and damage may help to reduce pesticide use and provide blueberry growers with vital information on the impact of BMSB on the blueberry industry. Furthermore, the results of our experiments will add to the growing literature of BMSB management and pest damage on blueberry health. Virginia: Tree fruit, Bergh - In 2012, I participated in a collaborative trial that compared early-season and season-long BMSB captures in black pyramid traps baited with, 1) a newly-identified BMSB pheromone (#10 lure), 2) a commercially available BMSB lure (Rescue) that did not contain the specific BMSB pheromone, or 3) un-baited (n = 3 per treatment/site). Traps were deployed on 11 April at the edge of woodlands bordering commercial tree fruit orchards (3 orchards) near Winchester, VA, and captures were recorded weekly through 24 October. In VA, the first BMSB capture in traps baited with the #10 and Rescue lures occurred on 2 May and 30 May, respectively. Captures in traps baited with each lure remained low through mid-July. Thereafter, captures in traps baited with the Rescue lure were higher than in those baited with the #10 lure. Total captures among all sites in traps baited with the 10# lure, the Rescue lure, and un-baited were 1583, 5620, and 251, respectively. In 2013, I intend to participate in further trials in which the BMSB aggregation pheromone lure will be refined further. In 2012, a prototype trap for monitoring the movement of BMSB nymphs on woody, deciduous host trees was constructed and deployed on a limited scale on mature Tree-of-Heaven trees growing adjacent to tree fruit orchards at Virginia Techs Winchester research center. Traps were designed to capture nymphs moving both up and down the trunk of trees, which is assumed to reflect their movement onto and off of trees, respectively. Although the traps were deployed for only several weeks during late summer, BMSB nymphs and adults were captured, demonstrating the merit of this approach for examining seasonal host-use patterns of BMSB nymphs in and adjacent to commercial orchards. In 2013, we intend to modify the existing trap design and to compare it with at least one other trap during the entire BMSB activity period. In fall 2012, prototype overwintering shelters for BMSB were constructed and deployed in human-made structures known to have harbored overwintering BMSB in previous years. The shelters were nailed to vertical surfaces within each structure and deployed just prior to the onset of mass movement of BMSB to overwintering sites (3rd week of September). Shelters were retrieved on 23 November, after BMSB movement to overwintering sites had ceased, and the number of adult bugs within each was counted. The number of BMSB/shelter (n = 5 shelters) varied tremendously, ranging from 14 to 664 (mean = 234). This preliminary study showed that this approach may have utility in future, enabling the manipulation of adult BMSB that have voluntarily settled in an overwintering shelter to address questions about their emergence patterns and overwintering survivorship, among others. In 2012, research on aspects of the efficacy of various insecticides and insecticide-based management programs was conducted in experimental and commercial apple and peach orchards. Standard protocols were used to assess program effects on injury from BMSB and other pests. Specific projects included, 1) alternate-row-middle (7-day intervals) versus complete (14-day intervals) spray applications of single insecticides full season, 2) the effect of an adjuvant on program efficacy, 3) a large-scale demonstration trial in commercial apple and peach orchards. Alternate-row-middle (i.e. spraying one half of each row per application) sprays at 7-day intervals provided numerically, but not statistically lower levels of BMSB at harvest than complete sprays (i.e. spraying both sides of each row) at 14-day intervals. Of the products evaluated, Leverage 360, Baythroid, Danitol, and Venom provided superior control that was significantly better than the untreated checks. Addition of the adjuvant, LI-700, to each spray in a full season program did not affect levels of BMSB injury at harvest. In 2012, we completed the second year of a three-year demonstration trial in commercial apple and peach orchards, in which prescribed programs were compared with grower standard programs. The prescribed programs involved the use of alternate-row-middle spray applications through most of the season and inclusion of two products that received Section 18 Emergency Exemptions targeting BMSB, dinotefuran and bifenthrin. Across the apple blocks, mean injury at harvest was 5.5 ± 0.5% and 9.1 ± 3.5 SE % (not statistically different) in the prescribed and standard programs, respectively. Among the peach blocks, mean injury at harvest was identical between the prescribed and standard blocks, at 0.1 ± 0.1 SE %. In 2012, BMSB injury levels were likely affected by relatively low populations at the start of the season and by early harvest of many tree fruit cultivars. Vegetables, Kuhar - The following accomplishments were made during 2012: 1) More than 2000 visual samples of wild tree hosts and agricultural crops from June until October in 2011 and 2012 showed that BMSB comprised more than 80% of stink bugs, suggesting that it has become the dominant stink bug species on farms in southwest Virginia; 2) BMSB occurrence on vegetable crops in Virginia was primarily from mid-July to mid-September, although earlier attacks (possibly late-June)occurred on early-planted sweet corn if ears were fully developed; 3) Using bean-dip bioassays in the laboratory and small-plot field efficacy tests conducted on bell pepper, green beans, sweet corn, and tomato, the efficacy of over 25 foliar insecticides against BMSB was determined using several currently-registered as well as experimental insecticides were found to be efficacious; The neonicotinoid insecticides, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, clothianidin, and imidacloprid applied to the root-zone of pepper and corn plants provided effective control of caged BMSB for more than 14 days; Deltamethrin-incorporated screening showed tremendous promise for BMSB control in lab bioassays and small-plot field experiments, although more research is needed.

Kamminga, K., T. Kuhar, A. Wimer and D. A. Herbert. 2012. Effects of the insect growth regulators novaluron and diflubenzuron on the brown marmorated stink bug. Online. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2012-1212-01-RS. Kuhar T., H. Doughty, K. Kamminga, C. Philips, J. Aigner, A. Wallingford, A. Wimer, L. Lilliston, B. Aigner, L. Nottingham,A. Lohr, E. Fread, J. Jenrette. 2012. Performance of Insecticides on Brown Marmorated Stink Bug on Vegetables. Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication No. ENTO-28NP. Kuhar, T., G. P. Dively, J. Whalen, G. C. Hamilton, G. Brust, and K. Kamminga*. 2012. P015 Pest threat of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug to vegetable crops in the U.S. p. 85 in 2012 Proceedings of the 7th International Integrated Pest Management Symposium: IPM on the World Stage, March 2729, Memphis, Tennessee. Kuhar T., H. Doughty, K. Kamminga*, A. Wallingford*, C. Philips*, and J. Aigner*. 2012. Evaluation of insecticides for the control of brown marmorated stink bug in bell peppers in Virginia experiment 1, 2011. Arthropod Management Tests 2012, Vol. 37: E37. Kuhar T., H. Doughty, K. Kamminga*, A. Wallingford*, C. Philips*, J. Aigner*. 2012. Evaluation of insecticides for the control of brown marmorated stink bug in bell peppers in Virginia experiment 2, 2011. Arthropod Management Tests 2012, Vol. 37: E38. Kuhar T., H. Doughty, K. Kamminga*, A. Wallingford*, C. Philips*, and J. Aigner*. 2012. Evaluation of insecticides for the control of brown marmorated stink bug in bell peppers in Virginia experiment 3, 2011. Arthropod Management Tests 2012, Vol. 37: E39. Kuhar T., H. Doughty, K. Kamminga*, A. Wallingford*, C. Philips*, J. Aigner*. 2012. Evaluation of insecticides for the control of brown marmorated stink bug in bell peppers in Virginia experiment 4, 2011. Arthropod Management Tests 2012, Vol. 37: E40. Kuhar T., H. Doughty, K. Kamminga*, A. Wallingford*, C. Philips*, J. Aigner*. 2012. Evaluation of foliar insecticides for the control of brown marmorated stink bugs in tomatoes in Virginia, 2011. Arthropod Management Tests 2012, Vol. 37: E72. Kuhar T., H. Doughty, K. Kamminga*, L. Lilliston*. 2012. Evaluation of insecticides using a bean dip bioassay for control of brown marmorated stink bug. 2011 Arthropod Management Tests 2012, Vol. 37: L1. Kuhar, T. P., K. L. Kamminga, J. Whalen, G. P. Dively, G. Brust, C. R.R. Hooks, G. Hamilton, and D. A. Herbert. 2012. The pest potential of brown marmorated stink bug on vegetable crops. Online. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2012-0523-01-BR. Leskey, T.C., Hamilton, G.C., Nielsen, A.L., Polk, D., Rodriguez-Saona C., Bergh J.C., Herbert A., Kuhar, T., Pfeiffer, D., Dively, G., Hooks, C., Raupp, M., Shrewsbury, P., Krawczyk, G., Shearer, P.W., Whalen, J., Koplinka-Loehr, C., Myers, E., Inkley, D., Hoelmer, K., Lee, D., and Wright, S.E. 2012. Pest Status of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) in the USA. Outlooks in Pest Management 23: 218-226.