Stink bug movement and distribution within a four crop system

Stink bugs have become an important economic pest of cotton production in the southeastern US. Feeding by these pests can result in boll abscission, lint staining, and boll rot. Previous research showed that stink bugs are highly aggregated and often associated with edges of cotton fields. Here, we examined the edges of replicated pilot scale farmscapes where cotton was planted adjacent to corn, soybean, or peanut. The objective of this experiment was to identify the movement of stink bugs among the different crops, and to identify the phenology, abundance, and distribution of stink bugs in all four crops throughout the growing season. A better understanding of stink bug movement patterns will allow pest management professionals to optimize scouting and treatment regimes.