Flight behavior of foraging and overwintering brown marmorated stink bug,Halyomorpha halys(Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Abstract

Brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is a highly polyphagous invasive species attacking both cultivated and wild plants increasing its threat to ecosystems as a global pest. However, dispersal biology of this invasive species is not well understood. This study evaluated the flight capacity and behavior of H. halys under laboratory, semi-field, and field conditions. Flight mills were used to measure the baseline flight capacity of adults collected year round from the field and included both foraging and overwintering populations. The effects of abiotic conditions such as wind speed and temperatures on the free flight parameters of H. halys were evaluated under semi-field and field conditions. The mean flight distances over a 22-h period were 2442 and 2083 m for male and female, respectively. Most individuals (89%) flew <5 km, though some flew much further with a maximum flight distance observed of 117 km. Flight distances by H. halys increased after emergence from overwintering sites in spring and reached their highest point in June. The incidence of take off by H. halys was significantly affected by the wind speed; when provided with still air conditions, 83% of individuals took off, but the rates decreased to <10% when wind speed was increased to or above 0.75 m s−1. The incidence of take off by H. halys was significantly affected by ambient temperature and light intensity in the field, whereas relative humidity and insect sex did not. When the temperature was at 10–15°C, 3% of individuals took off, but the proportion of H. halys taking flight increased to 61, 84, and 87% at 15–20, 20–25, and 25–30°C, respectively. In the field, prevailing flight direction was biased toward the opposite direction of the sun's position, especially in the morning. The implications of H. halys flight biology are discussed in the context of developing monitoring and management programs for this invasive species.

Nutrient declines in overwintering Halyomorpha halys populations

“…The invasive ability of H. halys has been attributed to its dispersive (Lee et al, 2014b;Lee & Leskey, 2015;Wiman et al, 2015) and reproductive potential (Nielsen et al, 2016). For insects in general, flight is often fuelled by glycogen and sugars, or a combination of carbohydrates and lipids depending on the species (Beenakkers et al, 1984).…”

The consequences of sublethal exposure to insecticide on the survivorship and mobility ofHalyomorpha halys(Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

“…To our knowledge, no study has examined the effects of insecticide on the flight capacity of H. halys . Lee and Leskey examined the natural flight behavior of H. halys , and found that male H. halys typically fly 2.4 km and females fly 2.1 km in a single day. A different study on the baseline flight behavior of H. halys found that adults typically fly between 0 and 5 km, with an average velocity of 0.18 km h −1 .…”

“…1.5–4.5 h or longer) to targeted materials under restricted conditions. While useful at establishing baseline mortality levels, this approach does not take into account the ability of H. halys to leave areas treated with insecticides, especially considering its strong dispersal capacity during the adult and nymphal life stages, nor the fact that this insect often invades from untreated, border habitats . The ability to move to and from protected crops can result in failure to take up a lethal dose of insecticide.…”

Establishing the behavioral basis for an attract-and-kill strategy to manage the invasive Halyomorpha halys in apple orchards

“…In addition, H. halys is a landscape-level threat, often colonizing preferred wild and cultivated hosts as they start to seed and fruit, and dispersing frequently among fields depending on nutritional requirements and phenology of crops (Lee et al 2013b;Nielsen and Hamilton 2009a). This landscape-level threat becomes even more apparent when one considers the dispersal capacity of H. halys where nymphs can travel up to 20 m in * 6 h while adults can fly an average of 2.5 km in\24 h (Lee and Leskey 2015;Wiman et al 2014). In light of this information, attract-and-kill sites may be best suited for placement on the perimeter of orchards where dispersing adults and nymphs can be intercepted.…”