Capture strategies for the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), are challenging. Here we developed and evaluated a multimodal trap which combines visual and olfactory stimuli. Visual stimuli consisted of LEDs emitting UV-A and visible light. Olfactory stimuli were comprised of the synthetic aggregation pheromone and odours from trapped H. halys individuals. Stink bug attraction at different wavelengths was evaluated in laboratory two-choice bioassays, and different prototypes of the trap were tested in 2021 in natural, agricultural, and urban settings. Traps with a combination of UV-A and blue or green visible wavelengths provided higher H. halys attraction (up to ~8-fold) compared to traditional sticky or small pyramidal traps. The concurrent presence of synthetic pheromone and LED had a synergistic effect on H. halys positive phototaxis. Further development and implementation of the multimodal trap is discussed for prospective use in attract-and-kill or push–pull strategies.

The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae, is the key pest of olive trees in several areas of the world. Given the need for the development of sustainable control methods, preventive tools, based on the manipulation of pest behaviour, must be considered. Here, under field and laboratory conditions, we tested the efficacy of different products in preventing B. oleae infestation. A field trial was conducted, from July to November 2020, in an olive orchard located in Central Italy. A table olive variety was selected and sprayed with rock powder, propolis, the mixture of both, copper oxychloride, or water (control). All treatments, except propolis, caused a reduction of B. oleae oviposition in olives, compared to the control. The mixture allowed the strongest reduction of fly infestation throughout the season, suggesting a synergistic effect. Behavioural no-choice assays were conducted to better understand the effects of treatments on B. oleae females. Compared to the control, females showed a lower preference for the central area of an arena containing an olive twig bearing two olive fruits, fully developed, but still green, treated with rock powder, plus propolis mixture. For all treatments, B. oleae showed lower oviposition events, suggesting deterrence to oviposition. Our results indicate that the tested products may have value against B. oleae, within integrated pest management (IPM) and organic agriculture.

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is an invasive species causing economic crop losses. This species was recently detected attacking olive fruits. The aim of this study was to characterize feeding damage. Olive samples were initially collected from a field where H. halys was reported to cause damage to olive fruits. Hence, we conducted a field trial on the Moraiolo variety using sleeve cages to test the effect of H. halys feeding pressure on olive fruit drop and evaluated the effect of feeding on fruit quality. We tested two densities of H. halys (two or eight adults/cage) at two different stages of olive development, pre- and post-pit hardening. High pressure of H. halys before pit hardening caused a significant fruit drop compared to the control. In addition, chemical analysis of damaged and infested fruits revealed higher levels of total phenols compared to healthy fruits. These findings indicate that feeding by H. halys induced a stress response in the plants that could translate in quality variations in the olive drupes.

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is a polyphagous pest native to East Asia and invasive in many countries. Various approaches have been used to control its spread, including IPM strategies. Monitoring pest populations is the starting point for developing an appropriate control strategy. The most common attractant for H. halys is based on its two-component aggregation pheromone ((3S,6S,7R,10S)-10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-3-ol and (3R,6S,7R,10S)-10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-3-ol), in combination with the synergist methyl (2E,4E,6Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate. The aim of this research was to evaluate the most effective combination of the pheromone and the synergist for different types of adjuvants and dispensers, i.e., Blister Pack, Wax Tablet, and Polymers (Non-Biodegradable and Biodegradable Polymers). Field trials were carried out in Northern Italy, during summer and autumn 2023 and 2024. The effectiveness of the different combinations was evaluated on the basis of the number of H. halys individuals caught in sticky traps baited with the different treatments, separated by 50 m each. Individuals actively collected in the surrounding vegetation were also monitored. During the first year, the Non-Biodegradable Polymer performed better than the others. In the second year, H. halys captures were quite similar among the tested dispensers, and all were higher than the control. Captures of non-target stink bugs and other bugs of the Coreidae family were evaluated but, in most cases, were negligible. Under laboratory conditions, the release rate of the chemical compounds differed depending on the type of dispenser. Our results confirm the specificity of the semiochemical lure combination tested towards H. halys and its persistence in the field for at least 12 weeks. The results could be useful for improving the effectiveness of H. halys trapping, as well as for attract-and-kill or push–pull strategies of the pest.

The need for the development of sustainable control methods of herbivorous insects implies that new molecules are proposed on the market. Among the different effects the new products may have on the target species, the alteration of insect oviposition behaviour might be considered. At the scope, parallel simple behavioural assays can be conducted in arena. Freely available software can be used to track observed events, but they often need intensive customization to the specific experimental design. Hence, integrating such software with, e.g., R environment, can provide a much more effective protocol development for data collection and analysis. Here we present a dataset and protocol for processing data of the oviposition behaviour of the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae, when exposed to olive twigs treated with different commercial products. Treatments were rock powder, propolis, a mixture of rock powder and propolis, copper oxychloride, copper sulphate, and water as the experimental control. JWatcher was used to simultaneously collect data from 12 arena assays and ad-hoc developed R code was used to process raw data for data analyses. The procedure described here is novel and represents a valuable and transferable protocol to analyse observational events in B. oleae, as well as other biological systems.

An essential first step to implement a control strategy against herbivorous insects is the monitoring of their populations. The efficacy of pheromone-based traps in capturing herbivorous insects can be enhanced by adding adjuvants and using slow-release dispensers to ensure long-lasting attractiveness. Here, we present datasets from a two-year field monitoring campaign of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), using clear sticky traps baited with its aggregation pheromone and a synergist, tested towards different dispensers and adjuvants. Bycatch data for native stink bugs (all Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and leaf-footed bugs (Hemiptera: Coreidae) are also presented. The R code provided was used to organize data and generate weekly captures or weekly density of both H. halys and non-target species. The information provided in this article may contribute to the optimization of pest control strategies in agriculture.