The brown marmorated stink bug and associated parasitoid species in agricultural systems in Georgia and Alabama

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is an invasive pest that damages a variety of agricultural crops in the southeast. We measured density of stink bug species and patterns of parasitism and predation on crops and non-crops in adjacent woodlands at various sites. In Prattville, AL, H. halys and N. viridula were the dominant stink bugs in row crops. Adult H. halys were first detected on sassafras in woodlands, followed by corn, cotton, and soybean, suggesting this host tree is a source of H. halys into crops. Economic threshold was met in cotton by the 3rd to 5th week of bloom. Parasitism of natural H. halys egg masses was moderately high (54.3%). In pecans in Byron, GA, adult H. halys were abundant in woodlands and pecan, but more nymphs were captured in pecan. The proportion of parasitized H. halys eggs was higher in woodland versus orchard habitat. In apple orchards, H. halys, E. servus, and C. hilaris were the most common stink bugs. In black cherry in woodlands next to apple in north GA, parasitism of nonviable sentinel eggs of H. halys was 29.7%. In plots with 11 native wildflower species, parasitism of H. halys ranged from 16.7 to 50.1% over flower species. These results will aid in promoting conservation biological control in these systems.