Efficacy of new pheromone lures for monitoring brown marmorated stink bug

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County joined with regional collaborators to monitor brown marmorated stink bug [BMSB, Halyomorpha halys (Stål)], populations in two fruit orchards using newly developed USDA # 10/20 pheromone lures. 12 traps were set near the forest borders adjacent to a 20-acre peach, a 10-acre apple orchard, and a 25-acre mixed (apple, peach, vegetable, cherries etc.) planting on eastern Long Island, NY. Four treatments were compared using the same pyramid trap type in each case: 1) #10/20 (~10 mg load) + MDT lure (AgBio; 66 mg); (2) Un-baited Control); (3) Commercial lure A; and (4) Commercial lure B. Each treatment was replicated three times (one in each peach, apple and mixed orchard). Traps were set in the field from May 5 to October 2. Traps were checked weekly for BMSB adults or nymphs. USDA # 10/20 lures were changed every 2 weeks and synergists every 4 weeks. Traps baited with #10/20 + MDT pheromone recorded first adult captures on May 12 (peach, Wading River, 135 GDD calculated from Jan. 1). During the entire season 6 male and 3 female BMSB were captured in # 10/20 traps. No BMSB were captured in control traps. About 25 BMSB adults and several nymphs were reported from residential landscapes in the Calverton and Riverhead area. One adult was captured from an apple tree during the fruit survey. The findings suggest this insect is now established and breeding in the eastern part of the Long Island and growers are advised to be watchful in the coming years.