Border Habitat Effects on Captures of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in Pheromone Traps and Fruit Injury at Harvest in Apple and Peach Orchards in the Mid-Atlantic, USA

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is a significant threat to the production of tree fruit, corn and soybean, and some vegetable crops in much of the USA and abroad. Its feeding causes injury that reduces crop quality and yield. BMSB invades crop fields from adjoining habitats, where it also feeds and develops on a broad range of wild and cultivated plants. Thus, it is considered a perimeter-driven threat, and research on management tactics to reduce insecticide applications against it has focused on intervention at crop edges. Woodlands often border one or more edges of crop fields in the Mid-Atlantic, USA, and are considered a main source of BMSB invasion, although tree fruit orchards in this region are typically also bordered along other edges by other habitats, including other tree fruit blocks and field crops. The effect of woodlands and other habitats bordering orchards on BMSB captures in pheromone traps and crop injury at harvest has not been compared. A two-year study in Mid-Atlantic fruit orchards confirmed that BMSB captures and fruit injury were often highest at edges bordering woodlands, but that other border habitats also contributed significantly to captures and injury in some instances. ABSTRACT: The invasive Halyomorpha halys invades crop fields from various bordering habitats, and its feeding on crops has caused significant economic losses. Thus, H. halys is considered a perimeter-driven threat, and research on alternative management tactics against it has focused on intervention at crop edges. Woodlands adjacent to crop fields contain many hosts of H. halys and are therefore considered “riskiest” in terms of pest pressure and crop injury. However, tree fruit orchards in the Mid-Atlantic, USA, are often bordered on one or more sides by woodlands and other habitats, including other tree fruit blocks, and field crops. Monitoring H. halys using pheromone traps has most often focused on the crop–woodland interface, but the relative effects of woodlands and other habitats bordering orchards on pest pressure and crop injury have not been examined. A two-year study comparing seasonal captures of H. halys and fruit injury among different habitats bordering commercial apple and peach orchards in the Mid-Atlantic revealed that while woodland borders often posed the greatest risk, other border habitats also contributed significantly to captures and injury in numerous instances. The relevance of these findings to refining and optimizing perimeter-based monitoring and management approaches for H. halys is discussed.