Native parasitoid, Anastatus reduvii, augmentative release in North Carolina for biological control of brown marmorated stink bug

Anastatus reduvii successfully parasitizes and emerges from close to 100% of frozen and fresh (1-3 day old) brown marmorated stink bug eggs in the laboratory. In many field studies, it was the most prevalent and abundant parasitoid to emerge from sentinel eggs deployed in wooded habitats and occasionally orchard habitats, and from naturally laid brown marmorated stink bug eggs in nurseries. We examined the potential for augmentative release of Anastatus reduvii to increase parasitism rates of brown marmorated stink bug eggs by monitoring for local parasitoids with sentinel and naturally laid eggs, and with yellow and green sticky cards pre-release and post release of A. reduvii. Two releases were conducted each year, timed during the peak oviposition by field populations of brown marmorated stink bugs in North Carolina, June and July. Two arboreal “release” sites and two “non-release” sites were monitored. Stink bug populations were monitored at all sites.