Using citizen science to track the spread of brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys)

Monday, November 17, 2014: 8:00 AM
D136 (Oregon Convention Center)
Noel Hahn , Department of Entomology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
Alex Kaufman , Department of Entomology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
George C. Hamilton , Department of Entomology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
Brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), has rapidly spread through the mid-Atlantic region since its introduction, causing significant damage to agricultural crops and becoming a nuisance pest for homeowners and businesses. Trapping and scouting programs by extension personnel, private consultants and growers have been used to monitor populations in various crops. Citizen science, the involvement of people who are not professional scientists, is a tool that can be used alongside data collected through traditional monitoring methods to augment our understanding of insect populations. A crowdsourced dataset of over 10,000 web reports of H. halys sightings, 2,000 of which were confirmed via submissions of photos or actual specimens, has been collected since 2004. This dataset was compiled from web reports, letters, samples sent through the mail, emails, and smartphone app reports. These data were mapped using geospatial software. Blacklight trap capture data and the crowdsourced data were used to examine spatiotemporal trends of H. halys populations in the state.