Stink bug community in primocane- bearing raspberry planting in southwest Virginia

Knowledge on the stink bug community and its pest status in raspberry plantings is not well understood. In addition, the impact of invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, on the abundance of native stink bugs has not yet been studied in the mid-Atlantic States. Therefore, sampling of stink bugs was performed in a primocane- bearing raspberry planting in southwest Virginia in 2011 and 2012. The brown stink bug, Euschitus servus, was major stink bug species in 2011 and 2012. In 2011, E. servus made up 56.36 % of overall composition followed by H.  halys 23.64 % and the green stink bug, Chinavia  hilare 3.64%, Similarly, E. servus was also the major stink bug species in 2012 and made up 29.46 % of the overall composition. The twice-stabbed stink bug, Cosmopepla  lintneriana, made up 33.04%, H. halys 23.64 % and C. hilare 13.39 %. Six species of stink bugs were found. H. halys was the second most abundant stink bug in 2011; however, the population density dropped  in 2012. The unprecedented high abundance of C. lintneriana in 2012 caused it to surpass H. halys.  Stink bugs were found from mid-July to September. This corresponds to the presence of fruit. No egg masses of stink bugs were found suggesting that raspberry is not a reproductive host. However, raspberry is a feeding host, as the stink bugs were observed feeding on the fruiting structure. Stink bug causes injury to the berries by inserting their stylets into ripening berries.