Potential for Conservation Biological Control of Stink bugs in North Carolina

Potential for Conservation Biological Control of Stink bugs in North Carolina

Summary

Conservation Biological control by stink bug egg parasitoid Telenomus podisi can be facilitated by contributing to the knowledge about their overwintering behavior and carbohydrate requirement in the field. This in turn would help in sustainable agriculture by reduction in insecticide related on-farm recurring costs.
Field sites for sampling for parasitoid overwintering refuge area were identified. Stink bugs and wasps were collected to establish a sizable colony to carry out laboratory experiments.

Objectives/Performance Targets

1. Determine the presence of overwintering Telenomus podisi in potential refuge sites like tree barks, dried fruiting and flowering bodies, insect cocoons, fallen pine cones etc. that might be utilized by Telenomus podisi in the field.
2. Determine the lifespan and reproductive ability of Telenomus podisi when offered carbohydrate sources in the form of various flowering plants, and homopteran honeydew.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Objective One

Searches were conducted for crop field sites with high populations of pestiferous stink bugs, egg parasitoid Telenomus podisi and presence of adjacent woodland belt was done in the months of September and October 2011. Three field sites meeting the above mentioned criteria were selected to carry out the parasitoid overwintering refuge site sampling:
1. Soybean field in Micro, Johnston County, N.C.
2. CEFS, Goldsboro
3. Lake Wheeler Road Research Station, NCSU, Wake County, N.C.

Both stink bugs and T. podisi were collected from the field for establishment of laboratory colonies..

Objective Two

Colonies of the following species of insects and plants were established and reared in the months of September, October, November and December, 2011:
Insects-
Euschistus servus (Brown stink bug)
Podisus maculiventris (Spined soldier bug)
Telenomus podisi (Egg parasitoid)
Tenebrio molitor (Mealworm/ Darkling Bettle) (Food source for the P. maculiventris colony)
Aphid species (Aphis glycine and Aphis craccivora)

Plants –
Fagopyrum esculentum (Buckwheat) (for flowers to be used in Objective 2 studies)
Glycine max (Soybean) (for aphids to be used in Objective 2 studies)
Vicia fava (Fava Beans) (for aphids to be used in Objective 2 studies)

Adult and nymphal stages of stink bugs were captured in the field by sweep-netting. Sentinel egg masses of E. servus were kept in the field for parasitization for 24 hrs. Parasitized eggs were brought back to the lab and incubated until adult emergence for establishment of a T. podisi colony

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Work conducted in 2011 was to prepare for experiments and data collection in 2012.

Collaborators: