A Newly Reported Parasitoid, Pentatomophaga latifascia (Diptera: Tachinidae), of Adult Halyomorpha halys in Beijing, China

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is a well-known invasive pest that feeds on plant and fruit tissues. Despite numerous studies on egg parasitoids of H. halys, the natural enemies of the nymphs and adults remain poorly known. In this paper, we surveyed the parasitoids of adult H. halys by collecting overwintering H. halys populations. Our results showed that Pentatomophaga latifascia (Diptera: Tachinidae) had laid eggs on the surface of adult H. halys, and the hatched larvae of P. latifascia then penetrated the host body and fed internally to complete their development. The average parasitism rate of P. latifascia on H. halys was 2.42%. These results add an important piece of knowledge about the natural enemy community attacking H. halys in its native range and may have useful implications for biological control in the newly invaded areas. ABSTRACT: Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is a serious pest in agriculture and forests, as both adults and nymphs feed by piercing the surface of the plant and fruit tissues, causing damage. The eggs of H. halys are commonly attacked by parasitoids, however, the nymph and the adult are rarely attacked by natural enemies. We surveyed the parasitoids of adult H. halys by collecting samples from overwintering populations at three different locations and checked their body surfaces for the presence of tachinid eggs. Any host adults carrying tachinid eggs were reared in a cage for further species identification. We found that the eggs of Pentatomophaga latifascia (Villeneuve) (Diptera: Tachinidae) were laid on the surface of H. halys, and the hatched larvae penetrated the host body and fed internally to develop. The last larval instar emerged from the host to develop into pupae, killing the host in the process. According to the field survey, the average parasitism of H. halys by P. latifascia was 2.42%. The parasitoids of adult H. halys in their native range have so far been little studied and may provide a complementary component of egg parasitoids for biological control against H. halys in invaded areas.