Effect of peppermint (Mentha piperita) extract on feeding behaviors of brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) is an invasive species that has been reported from 41 states in the USA and is an agricultural and nuisance problem in at least ten. They overwinter in houses and due to their polyphagous feeding habits could cause severe economic losses in many cash crops. Damage to soybean and tree fruits has been reported in the mid-Atlantic states. The objective of this study is to test the potential of peppermint extract (Mentha piperita) as a repellent or antifeedant for H. halys. Bugs were placed on green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) treated with peppermint leaf extract (Gaia Organics) or a control, and video recordings were analyzed with Noldus Observer software. Preliminary observational data indicate that exposure to mint increased grooming and antennation behaviors, and decreased time spent on the bean. Research is ongoing; future studies using Observer will couple electrical penetration graphing (EPG) with video recordings to relate feeding behaviors to waveforms representing probing within the plant tissues.