Response of Southern Green Stink Bug and Redbanded Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) to Spinosad

Mid-South soybean producers are now faced with the southern green stink bug and the redbanded stink bug.  In the literature, there is evidence that green and brown stink bugs are attracted to spinosad.  This attraction could be used to slow field colonization and further concentrate stink bugs for site-specific targeting with insecticides.  In order to test this, Y-tube assays, tactile assays, and feeding preference assays were conducted on southern green stink bug and redbanded stink. Two different commercial spinosad products, spinetoram, and technical grade spinosad were investigated. Neem (Azatin XL) was also used as negative control (repellent).  Each product was tested at concentrations equivalent to recommended field applications. In Y-tube assays, the southern green stink bug showed a significant preference toward Entrust^® and technical grade spinosad while redbanded stink bug was not significantly attracted to any product.  In tactile assays, both species showed preference toward filter paper treated with spinosad. In feeding experiments, southern green stink bug adults and nymphs showed preference toward soybean seeds treated with spinosad products, but not to the seeds treated with spinetoram. A significant feeding deterrence was observed on the seed treated with neem. The implications of these findings are discussed.