Functional response of generalist predators to Halyomorpha halys

Halyomorpha halys, the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, has become a signficant pest of many crops throughout much of the United States since its accidental introduction two decades ago and was detected in Michigan in 2010. Halomorpha halys presents a serious threat to Michigan's agriculture as it feeds on a large variety of fruits, vegetables and field crops. Our objective was to determine the functional response of generalist predators to H. halys egg masses in the laboratory. Predators were chosen based on the results of a previous study that identified potential predators in Michigan agro-ecosystems. Ten male and 10 female Acheta domesticus were tested in a preliminary experiment to determine predation rate and behavior when provided with multiple prey items. Predators were placed individually into 19 X 17.7 X 10.16 cm PET plastic box arenas with H. halys egg masses glued to paper. Egg masses contained 20-30 eggs and were less than 24h old.  Each arena was kept under video surveillance for 24 hours. The number of egg masses attacked, the number of eggs attacked, and the time in arena was recorded. Female A. domesticus demonstrated a higher predation rate compared to males. These data are the first step in describing the functional response of this generalist predator. Understanding the potential for generalist predators of H. halys will be important for understanding their potential role in biological control of this important pest.