Identification of predatory arthropods of the invasive Halyomorpha halys through molecular gut content analysis

Abstract

Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855) is an invasive agricultural pest in North America and Europe. Most of the information on H. halys predators in invaded areas comes from North America. This work focused on the molecular identification of arthropod predator species capable of feeding on H. halys in northern Italy. Predatory arthropods were collected in the field in four urban parks using the tree‐beating technique. A real‐time PCR workflow was applied to detect H. halys DNA from the gut content of predators. Of the 190 predator individuals analysed, 46 were positive for H. halys DNA and belonged to 10 insect taxa (1 Dermaptera, 3 Coleoptera, 2 Hemiptera and 4 Orthoptera) and six arachnid taxa (2 Opiliones and 6 Araneae). The integration of gut content analysis with laboratory bioassays and field observations allows the identification of a greater number of predators and therefore a better understanding of how the invaded ecosystem is responding to the introduction of a new species, given that samples are taken from the invaded environment itself. Therefore, the gut content analysis provides essential elements for conservation biocontrol in integrated pest management programmes.

Interactions between egg parasitoids and predatory ants for the biocontrol of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys

“…By revealing that ants do not interfere with egg parasitization nor they attack egg parasitoids, our study encourages the possibility that ants and parasitoids may be integrated in the control of H. halys, with a combined effect on both eggs and nymphs that needs to be evaluated in field assessments (Bulgarini et al, 2022;Campolo et al, 2015;Castracani et al, 2017;Offenberg, 2015;Wright & Diez, 2011).…”