Biological Control of Invasive Stink Bug Species
Summary
Invasive stink bugs such as the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) inflict substantial economic losses on fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops worldwide. Biological control seeks to reduce reliance on chemical insecticides by employing natural enemies, particularly specialised egg parasitoids of the genus Trissolcus. Classical biological control involves the deliberate introduction of such parasitoids from the pest’s native range, while augmentative and conservation tactics enhance populations of existing parasitoids through timed releases, provision of floral resources and deployment of semiochemical attractants. Central to success are rigorous assessments of host specificity to prevent non-target effects, climatic and habitat suitability modelling to predict establishment, and landscape-scale monitoring to track impact. Integrating these approaches within broader integrated pest management frameworks has led to demonstrable reductions in pesticide applications and stabilisation of stink bug densities in affected regions. Continued advances in phenology modelling, habitat manipulation and risk evaluation are refining the safe and effective use of biological control against invasive pentatomids on a global scale.
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Biological Control of Invasive Stink Bug Species publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in biological control of invasive stink bug species across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Classical biological control: deliberate introduction of a specialist natural enemy from a pest’s native range to establish permanent suppression.
Egg parasitoid: an insect whose larvae develop within and consume the eggs of a host species, preventing pest emergence.
Host specificity: the spectrum of host species on which a natural enemy can successfully complete its development.
Sentinel egg mass: laboratory-reared or frozen host eggs placed in the field to monitor and quantify parasitoid attack rates.
Polyphagous: capable of feeding on multiple, often unrelated, host plant species.
References
- Seasonal parasitism and host specificity of Trissolcus japonicus in northern China. Journal of Pest Science (2017).
- First discovery of adventive populations of Trissolcus japonicus in Europe. Journal of Pest Science (2018).
- Two Asian egg parasitoids of Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae) emerge in northern Italy: Trissolcus mitsukurii (Ashmead) and Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research (2018).
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