Improving and refining the utility of pheromone traps for monitoring brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Recent advances in pheromone-based monitoring of brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys Stål, have expanded our capacity to address basic questions toward enhancing the biological interpretation of trap data and optimizing the effectiveness of this important tool. Studies conducted in or near Virginia apple orchards compared the effect of trap location on seasonal H. halys captures and the effect of lure placement on total captures. Black pyramid traps baited with the H. halys aggregation pheromone and a synergist were deployed between April and September in transects (n = 6 traps/transect) extending from five woodlots into adjacent commercial apple orchards in which there was minimal intervention against this pest. Adult and nymphal captures were recorded weekly, enabling a comparison of seasonal capture patterns among trap locations. H. halys pheromone plus synergist lures were deployed with black pyramid traps as four treatments, lures suspended inside the ventilated collection jar (standard deployment), lures suspended adjacent to the jar, lures suspended beneath the jar, and unbaited controls. Traps (n = 4/treatment) were deployed for two, 21-d intervals in June and July along the edge of woodlots bordering two orchards. Adult and nymphal captures were recorded weekly. Temperatures inside and outside the collection jars were recorded and pheromone and synergist release rates were determined using gravimetric analysis. Results will be discussed in relation to on-going efforts to develop relationships between captures in traps and the density of local H. halys populations at points during the growing season.