Identification of potential spring hosts of redbanded stink bug (Piezodorus guildinii westwood) in Louisiana

During the last decade, redbanded stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood), has emerged as a major stink bug pest species in Louisiana. The economic threat from redbanded stink bug is also rapidly increasing in the Mid-South and Southeastern region of the United States as it continues to expand its geographical range. Since redbanded stink bug is relatively new species in the existing stink bug complex, there is a lack of information about this pest compared to other stink bugs. One of the gaps in our present understanding is its potential spring hosts where its population can build up before migrating to soybean. Field studies were conducted at two research stations New Iberia and Dean Lee to evaluate the six potential leguminous spring host of redbanded stink bug in Louisiana, including crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), cardinal red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), austrian winter pea (Pisum sativum), berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), and white clover (Trifolium repens L.).Data on captured adult and nymph redbanded stink bug using vacuum sampling showed that  redbanded stink bug adult (2.6 ± 0.1 per 0.2 sq. m) and nymph (2.4 ± 0.2 per 0.2 sq. m) were significantly abundant in crimson clover out of the six hosts evaluated at New Iberia. At Dean Lee adult (0.1944 ± 0.04 per 0.2 sq. m) and nymph (0.402 ± 0.02 per 0.2 sq. m) redbanded stink bugs were significantly abundant in white clover among the host plants except crimson clover. Crimson clover and white clover appear to be preferred host of redbanded stink bug and are bridging hosts prior to soybean infestation.