Halyomorpha halys is an invasive polyphagous pest with a high negative impact on fruit orchards and other agricultural crops in the USA. In Italy, it was first detected in 2012 in Emilia Romagna, a northern region that is among the major European tree fruit production areas. A specific monitoring programme using active techniques was carried out in pear orchards and adjacent uncultivated areas between 2014 and 2016 to assess the abundance, seasonality and impact of H. halys and other phytophagous Heteroptera in the field. It emerged that just a few years after first discovery, this invasive species already largely outnumbers all the other Heteroptera and that it is a season-long pest for pear crops. Severe yield losses are reported in different farms, especially on the orchard borders, with more than 50% deformed fruits. Mirids are mostly found in the grassy areas and crops, and the other phytophagous Heteroptera, only occasionally detected in the orchard trees, occur mainly on hedges and other crops. Our survey demonstrates for the first time the great damaging potential of H. halys as a new key pest of orchards in southern Europe. The study also identified the patterns of seasonal abundance of adults and nymphs in the orchards and their uncultivated surroundings, providing baseline data for the development of specific strategies for sustainable management

Planococcus ficus (Signoret) and Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are economically important pests occurring in vineyards, causing severe economic losses for growers and compromising bunch production. The partial effectiveness of insecticides used in controlling mealybug infestations as well as their high impact on the environment and on human health have led to the research of alternative and sustainable control methods, including biological control. Several natural enemies are reported to be effective against mealybugs, but their activity may be hindered by tending ants. These social insects are known to exhibit a mutualistic relationship with mealybugs, resulting in extremely aggressive behavior against beneficial insects. Consequently, this study explored a method to mitigate ant attendance by means of sugar dispensers in order to improve ecosystem services, as well as decrease mealybug infestation in vineyards. Field trials were carried out in four commercial vineyards of Northern Italy infested by mealybugs, in which Anagyrus vladimiri Triapitsyn (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) were released as biological control agents. Our results showed that sugar dispensers reduced ant activity and mealybug infestation, leading to a significant enhancement of ecosystem services. The technique showed a great potential in boosting biological control against mealybugs in field conditions, though the field application seemed to be labour intensive and needs to be replicated for a multi-year evaluation.

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