Monitoring for stink bugs in blackberries using traps and pheromones

Surveys were conducted in organic and conventional blackberry plants to identify the stink bug species that feed on blackberry. Species found included Euschistus quadrator, E. servus, E. obscurus, E. ictericus, and Thyanta custator. Trécé tube traps and yellow pyramid traps were evaluated for monitoring stink bugs with and without Suterra Scenturion and Trécé Pherocon pheromone lures in a blackberry planting. The yellow pyramid trap performed significantly better than the Trécé tube trap, capturing 100% of all stink bug species found. In a subsequent experiment, we compared the attractiveness of Suterra Scenturion and Trécé Pherocon pheromone lures against Euschistus spp. in blackberry using the yellow pyramid trap. No significant differences were found between the two lures and an unbaited trap. To determine whether the observed non-significant differences were a function of lure concentration, we evaluated varying pheromone lure rates against Euschistus spp. using the yellow pyramid trap. Overall trap catches were low and differences among lure rates were only minimally affected.