The hosts you know or ones you don’t: Patterns of host use by Halyomorpha halys in woody plant nurseries

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is an invasive polyphagous insect native to Northeastern Asia.  Since its introduction to the United States, BMSB has become an economically important agricultural and nuisance pest.  Our research investigates patterns of host use on common woody landscape plants. Our goal is to identify species and cultivars of plants serving as food sources for active stages BMSB and those serving as egg-laying sites for reproductively active females. Observations made at two wholesale nurseries over three consecutive years revealed several important patterns of host use. First, the breadth of host use increased as BMSB progressed through development. Eggs were found on the fewest plants and adults were found on the broadest range of plants while nymphs were intermediate. Second, gymnosperms were utilized far less frequently than angiosperms by active feeding stages and as oviposition sites by adults. Third, while some species of Asian origin were commonly used by BMSB nymphs and adults, comparisons of host use of Asian and North American species suggest that certain plants native to North America may be more heavily utilized than Asian congeners.  Ecological underpinnings behind these patterns are discussed.  With this information we will make recommendations for the types of trees and shrubs that can be planted to create sustainable landscapes refractory to BMSB.