Effects on stink bugs of field edges adjacent to woodland

Stink bug responses to crop edges were examined in 30 fields each of corn, peanut, cotton and soybean adjacent to woodland. A total of 20 sampling points of the crop row in 2009 and 15 sampling points in 2010, each 1.5 m long, was sampled along two 101-m transects running perpendicular to the woodland edge in each crop field. A random distribution of stink bugs (focusing on Euschistus servus, Nezara viridula, and Chinavia hilaris) was found most often with respect to the woodland edge of all crops examined. The exception occurred mainly in corn fields, where more stink bugs were found at the crop edge when flowering alternative hosts were present in the woodland edges. In 113 fields of four major crops grown in this area (7 of the 120 fields were excluded from analysis due to lack of stink bugs or limited woodland edges), the woodland edge was not a major source from which stink bugs colonized these crops. These results suggest that edge-specific control measures should not be concentrated at those field edges adjacent to woodlands.

► Alternative hosts present in adjacent woodland can be a source of stink bugs in corn.
► Woodlands are probably not a major source from which stink bugs colonize peanut, soybean and cotton.
► Control measures targeting stink bugs should not concentrate on field edges adjacent to woodlands for these crops.