LAUSR

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is an economically damaging, invasive insect pest native to East Asia. Since its accidental introduction in Allentown, PA, in the late 1990s, H. halys has spread to 43 U.S. states and has become a severe agricultural and nuisance problem in much of the country. A sudden occurrence of a high population in the Mid-Atlantic states in 2010 resulted in significant crop losses (;$37 million by the apple industry alone) in tree fruits and other crops (Leskey et al. 2012, Psyche: J. Entomol. doi:10.1155/2012/ 535062). Halyomorpha halys was first reported in California in 2002 (Lara et al. 2015, California Agric. 70: 15–23) but, until now, established populations have not been reported within agricultural fields. Halyomorpha halys is a polyphagous insect with a wide host range (.179 plant species) that includes agricultural, ornamental, and landscape plants. Major reported host crops include apples, peaches, nectarines, pears, peppers, tomatoes, corn, beans, and soybean (www.stopbmsb.org, accessed: 10 May 2017). Because there has been limited exposure of H. halys to major nut crops, including almonds, walnuts, and pistachios, which are grown almost exclusively in California, its potential impact on these crops is unknown. Direct damage of H. halys to fruits is characterized by the presence of a depressed area, a discolored surface, and necrotic spots typically beneath the fruit surface (Acebes-Doria et al. 2016, Crop Prot. 89: 58–65; Joseph et al. 2015, J. Econ. Entomol. 108: 592–599). Feeding can cause significant damage on young and mature peaches by developing discolored necrotic areas inside the fruit (Joseph et al. 2015; Leskey et al. 2012), which results in unmarketable fruits for both fresh and canning purposes.