Evaluating monitoring and management strategies for the brown marmorated stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) a newly invaded insect pest of specialty crops in Florida

The brown marmorated stinkbug (BMSB), Halymorphahalys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is an invasive pest that was first identified in the United States near Allentown, Pennsylvania in 2001. Over the years the BMSB has become a major pest of fruit trees and vegetable crops causing millions of dollars in damage and control costs. The pest was recorded for the first time in June 2020 in Tallahassee in north Florida. Yellow color pyramid pheromones lure traps were used in Leon County, Florida to capture and identify this new pest in the panhandle and its potential natural enemies already available in north Florida. The preliminary data of site 1 (chestnuts and persimmons) of the traps for the Summer and Fall 2020 showed an average of 0.2, 0.5, 0.7, 1.3, 1, 1, 1, 0.5, and 0.7 adults/trap collected on 22 June, 29 June, 6 July, 13 July, 20 July, 27 July, 3 August, 10 August, 24 August, 31 August, and 7 September, respectively. No adults were recorded on 8 June, 15 June, 17 August, and 24 August. Trap catches in site 2 (blueberries and grapes) for the Summer and Fall 2020 showed an average of 0.3, 0.3, 1,1,1,0.3, 0.3, and 0.4 adults/trap collected on 15 June, 6 July, 27 July, 3 August, 10 August, 17 August and 24 August, respectively. In addition, observations on the potential biological control agents are being carried out to support specialty crop growers in the Florida panhandle.