The role of volatile and host stimuli in the foraging of Halyomorpha halys: attraction and retention of adults on tree fruit

Much is now known about the basic biology of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, in specialty cropping systems. Recent advances have included the discovery of reliable monitoring pheromones, a reliable trap design, the phenology of the pest in different regions of the United States, and the interactions between the stink bug, its natural enemies, and gut symbionts. However, research on the role of the role of host plant volatiles and host visual cues, and how these modulate foraging by H. halys has been lacking. The aims of this study were to evaluate the role of fruit (apple and peach mixtures) and green leaf volatiles on the attraction and retention of H. halys when deployed on a peach, apple, or non-host (Japanese maple) tree. These treatments were investigated with and without the addition of the recently identified male-produced aggregation pheromone and attractive synergist. We found that the addition of volatiles significantly affected the retention of stink bugs on the various hosts. The host plant also affected how long H. halys stayed at the release site. Overall, we found that further knowledge of the chemical ecology in this system will contribute to pest management for this damaging invasive species.