The Spread of Nezara viridula (Hemiptera:Pentatomidae) Species from its First Occurrence in Romania

Abstract

Lately in horticultural agroecosystems from Romania joined several insect species autochthonous. Among these is a species of bugs known as southern green stink bugs or Nezara viridula L. (Insecta: Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Unlike other new entrants this bug species has a diversified polifagism being present in many plants but obvious damage produce only tomato fruit. The causes are unknown. Can be found in gardens, green spaces and parks. Often is observed in vegetable gardens where populations comprise all stages (egg, larva/nymph, adult). Although it has African origins of a warm area is interesting installation and survival in temperate zones like those in Europe. Presence in Europe appears to be more random which excludes primarily spread through the neighborhood. By observations made in west of Romania, during 2010-2015 we wanted to watch the evolution of the insect from the first point of occurrence (Timișoara, 2010). Also, were monitored tomato crops and ornamentals in gardens and green spaces from 5 counties. Only in four monitored counties it was observed this species. Most adults and larvae were registered in Timis county (5-6 adults or 7-8 larvae/tomato plant and 10 -11 adults or 15-20 larvae/ornamental shrub). In our country the insect has proven to be capable of a rapid spread in a relatively short time interval including surrounding counties.

Is Helicoverpa Armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) a Key Pest in Western Romanian Paprika Pepper Crops?

“…Following the recent publications of several reports on larval population dynamics of H. armigera and other arthropods in the western part of Romania (Tomescu & Negru, 2003;Grozea et al, 2019;Iosub et al, 2021) we acknowledge that there are several factors that cause temporal insect population changes and that those are highly context-specific and taxon-specific.…”

“…Severe attacks of T. tabaci can result in total defoliation and potential crop loss (Ananthakrishnan, 1984). According to Grozea et al, (2012Grozea et al, ( , 2015Grozea et al, ( , 2016 researches, the southern green stink bug, N. viridula is a polyphagous species, newly invasive for our country, which feeds on a wide range of mono -and dicotyledonous plants, preferring Solanaceae family plants, which through attacks on fruiting periods, leads to qualitative depreciation of crops. Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) -key pests for paprika pepper crops As we previously have pointed out, the species with the highest number of specimens and which causes at the same times the most significant damages, both in terms of quantity and quality, is H. armigera.…”

Nutritional Ecology of the Southern Green Stink Bug <i>Nezara viridula</i> (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) on Selected Varieties of Cowpea and Tomato

“…Southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.), is one of several polyphagous pentatomid insect pests that attacks a wide variety of crops that include cowpea and tomato [1][2][3][4][5][6]. In the United States the southern green stink bug is an important pest that feeds primarily on seeds, fresh pods and immature fruits and sporadically on the tender shoots of several crop species [7][8][9][10].…”

“…Nymphs and adults of stink bugs feed by puncturing plant tissues with their piercing sucking mouthparts (stylets) removing the cell contents [4,5]. Feeding results in seed damage that may lead to distorted development of pods [15].…”

First record of Halyomorpha halys and mass occurrence of Nezara viridula in Slovakia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

“…45°N and 45°S (Todd 1989;Panizzi et al 2000;Musolin 2007;Rabitsch 2010). This distribution area has been expanding continually; the phenomenon was studied in detail in Japan where the northern limit of the N. viridula (Aukema 2016;Grozea et al 2016;Rabitsch 2016). Scattered records are also known from Belgium and Finland, although N. viridula is not considered established there yet (Rabitsch 2008).…”