Evaluation of perimeter-based attract-and-kill strategies for the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), in apple and pear orchards in the United States.

Abstract

Management of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), using attract-and-kill (AK) strategies in orchard crops has resulted in reduced pesticide inputs and the reestablishment of integrated pest management programs but also increased labor inputs and damage in pheromone-baited AK trees. Here, we re-tool previously developed AK practices for H. halys management using long-lasting insecticide netting (LLIN) as a low-input, effective killing agent. Simple LLIN AK stations were evaluated for efficacy compared with grower standard practices when hung directly on orchard perimeter fruit trees, hung on posts near, but not touching perimeter trees, and placed outside the orchard perimeter in commercial Mid-Atlantic apple orchards from 2017 to 2019. Treatments in which LLIN stations were attached to or hung near perimeter trees were equivalent to grower standards in terms of H. halys injury. In commercial pear orchards in Washington State in 2018 to 2020, efficacies of several LLIN station designs were evaluated as supplements to grower standard practices. A novel LLIN station design, referred to as the poncho trap, consistently caught nearly 3-fold more H. halys compared to a simple post-deployed "ghost trap" design when installed outside orchard perimeters. However, only LLIN stations mounted directly to perimeter trees provided statistically significant reductions in fruit damage. Our overall findings underscore the importance of positioning the pheromone lure, host plant (fruit tree), and LLIN in close proximity for successful AK H. halys management. Results also indicate that poncho trap LLIN fabric flaps could be integrated into near-mounted LLIN stations to further increase efficacy.