Semiochemically Based Monitoring of the Invasion of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and Unexpected Attraction of the Native Green Stink Bug (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in Maryland

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Pentatomidae), is a newly invasive species in the eastern U. S. that is rapidly expanding its range from the original point of establishment in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Although an attractant pheromone has yet to be identified for H. halys, in its native Asian range the insect is cross-attracted to the pheromone of another pentatomid Plautia stali Scott whose males produce methyl (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate. Previous tests of methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoate isomers in the U. S. verified that H. halys is highly attracted to methyl (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate, and that the native green stink bug, Acrosternum hilare (Say), also is attracted to this compound. Using traps baited with methyl 2,4,6-decatrienoates and the reported pheromone of A. hilare (trans- and cis(Z)-α-bisabolene epoxides), we monitored populations of the brown marmorated and green stink bugs at the Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland, for the 2004–2008 growing seasons. Over this time period, the H. halys population rose from being undetectable in 2004 to becoming much more abundantly trapped than the native A. hilare. Furthermore, A. hilare was significantly more attracted to methyl (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate than the blend of bisabolene epoxides reported as its pheromone. Supplemental material online at http://www.fcla.edu/FlaEnt/fe923.htm#InfoLink1 Translation provided by Dr. Andrée Gonzalez Ritzel. La chiche marrón mármol, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Pentatomidae), es una nueva especie invasora en el este de Estados Unidos, la cual está expandiendo su rango de distributión rápidamente desde su punto original de entrada en Allentown, Pennsylvania. Aunque su feromona aún no se ha identificada, este insecto es atraído en su hábitat nativo (Asia) por la feromona de otro pentatómido, Plautia stali Scott, cuyos machos producen (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoato de metilo. Experimentos previos con distintos isómeros de 2,4,6-decatrienoato de metilo en Estados Unidos demostraron que H. halys es fuertemente atraída por (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoato de metilo, y que la chiche verde nativa Acrosternum hilare (Say) es también atraída por este compuesto. Usando trampas cebadas con 2,4,6-decatrienoatos y con la feromona reportada para A. hilare (ep*óxidos de (E)- y (Z)-α-bisaboleno), realizamos un seguimiento poblacional de ambas especies en la Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland, durante las temporadas de crecimiento 2004–2008. E