Fitness and interspecific competition of Trissolcus japonicus and Anastatus japonicus, egg parasitoids of Halyomorpha halys

Halyomorpha halys is a severe agricultural pest of Asian origin that has invaded many countries throughout the world. Pesticides are currently the favored control methods, but as a consequence of their frequent use, often disrupt Integrated Pest Management. Biological control with egg parasitoids is seen as the most promising control method over the long-term. Knowledge of the reproductive biology under laboratory conditions of the most effective candidates (Trissolcus japonicus and Trissolcus mitsukurii) for optimizing production for field releases is strongly needed. Rearing of these egg parasitoids was tested by offering three different host supply regimes using new emerged females and aged, host-deprived females in different combinations. Results showed a mean progeny per female ranging from 80 to 85 specimens for T. japonicus and from 63 to 83 for T. mitsukurii. Sex ratios were strongly female biased in all combinations and emergence rates exceeded 94% overall. Cumulative curves showed that longer parasitization periods beyond 10–14 days (under the adopted rearing regimes) will not lead to a significantly increase in progeny production. However, ageing females accumulate eggs in their ovaries that can be quickly laid if a sufficient number of host eggs are supplied, thus optimizing host resources. Our data showed that offering H. halys egg masses to host-deprived female Trissolcus once a week for three weeks allowed its eggs to accumulate in the ovary, providing the greatest number of offspring within a three week span.

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Surveys in northern Utah for egg parasitoids of Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) detect Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae)

Biodiversity Data Journal ◽

10.3897/bdj.8.e53363 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Mark Holthouse ◽

Zachary Schumm ◽

Elijah Talamas ◽

Lori Spears ◽

Diane Alston

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

North America ◽

Native Species ◽

Insect Pest ◽

Egg Parasitoids ◽

Halyomorpha Halys ◽

Wasp Species ◽

Egg Masses ◽

Trissolcus Japonicus ◽

Northern Utah

The highly polyphagous and invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), has become a significant insect pest in North America since its detection in 1996. It was first documented in northern Utah in 2012 and reports of urban nuisance problems and plant damage have since increased. Biological control is the preferred solution to managing H. halys in North America and other invaded regions due to its alignment with integrated pest management and sustainable practices. Native and non-native biological control agents, namely parasitoid wasps, have been assessed for efficacy. Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) is an effective egg parasitoid of H. halys in its native range of southeast Asia and has recently been documented parasitising H. halys eggs in North America and Europe. Field surveys for native and exotic egg parasitoids using wild (in situ) and lab-reared H. halys egg masses were conducted in suburban and agricultural sites in northern Utah from June to September 2017–2019. Seven native wasp species in the families Eupelmidae and Scelionidae were discovered guarding H. halys eggs and adult wasps from five of these species completed emergence. Native species had low mean rates of adult emergence from wild (0.5–3.7%) and lab-reared (0–0.4%) egg masses. In 2019, an adventive population of T. japonicus was discovered for the first time in Utah, emerging from 21 of the 106 wild H. halys egg masses found that year, and none from lab-reared eggs. All T. japonicus emerged from egg masses collected on Catalpa speciosa (Warder). Our results support other studies that have observed biological control of H. halys from T. japonicus and improved parasitoid wasp detection with wild as compared to lab-reared H. halys egg masses.

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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 ◽

10.3897/jhr.67.30883 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 67 ◽

pp. 37-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Giuseppino Sabbatini Peverieri ◽

Elijah Talamas ◽

Marie Claude Bon ◽

Leonardo Marianelli ◽

Iris Bernardinelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Egg Parasitoids ◽

Northern Italy ◽

Halyomorpha Halys ◽

Agricultural Pest ◽

Human Intervention ◽

Population Densities ◽

Original Distribution ◽

Trissolcus Japonicus ◽

Made In

Halyomorphahalys(Stål) is a severe agricultural pest that is spreading worldwide from its original distribution in Asia. Egg parasitoids from Asia, which play a key role in the population dynamics ofH.halys, are following its host along global pathways. We present the first records ofTrissolcusmitsukuriiin Europe, and ofTrissolcusjaponicusin Italy. Both discoveries were made in northern Italy, whereH.halysis widely present and has reached extremely high population densities in some areas. Given the availability of their host, the distributions and populations of these exotic egg parasitoids are expected to expand, even in the absence of human intervention.

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The complete mitochondrial genome of Trissolcus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), the candidate for the biological control of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Mitochondrial DNA Part B ◽

10.1080/23802359.2021.1948370 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (8) ◽

pp. 2307-2309

Author(s):

Francesco Nardi ◽

Claudio Cucini ◽

Elena Cardaioli ◽

Francesco Paoli ◽

Giuseppino Sabbatini Peverieri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Mitochondrial Genome ◽

Complete Mitochondrial Genome ◽

Halyomorpha Halys ◽

Trissolcus Japonicus

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Surveying native egg parasitoids and predators of the invasive Halyomorpha halys in Northern Italy

Journal of Applied Entomology ◽

10.1111/jen.12590 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 143 (3) ◽

pp. 299-307 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Elena Costi ◽

Tim Haye ◽

Lara Maistrello

Keyword(s):

Egg Parasitoids ◽

Northern Italy ◽

Halyomorpha Halys

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Parasitism of frozen Halyomorpha halys eggs by Trissolcus japonicus: applications for rearing and experimentation

Biocontrol Science and Technology ◽

10.1080/09583157.2019.1566439 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 478-493 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Hanna McIntosh ◽

David M. Lowenstein ◽

Nik G. Wiman ◽

Jessica S. Wong ◽

Jana C. Lee

Keyword(s):

Halyomorpha Halys ◽

Trissolcus Japonicus

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Floral Resources for Trissolcus japonicus, a Parasitoid of Halyomorpha halys

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects11070413 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 413

Author(s):

Hanna R. McIntosh ◽

Victoria P. Skillman ◽

Gracie Galindo ◽

Jana C. Lee

Keyword(s):

Egg Parasitoid ◽

Flowering Plant ◽

Floral Resources ◽

Halyomorpha Halys ◽

Floral Nectar ◽

Crimson Clover ◽

Classical Biocontrol ◽

Nectar Sources ◽

Trissolcus Japonicus ◽

The Impact

The egg parasitoid Trissolcus japonicus is the main candidate for classical biocontrol of the invasive agricultural pest Halyomorpha halys. The efficacy of classical biocontrol depends on the parasitoid’s survival and conservation in the agroecosystem. Most parasitoid species rely on floral nectar as a food source, thus identifying nectar sources for T. japonicus is critical. We evaluated the impact of eight flowering plant species on T. japonicus survival in the lab by exposing unfed wasps to flowers inside vials. We also measured the wasps’ nutrient levels to confirm feeding and energy storage using anthrone and vanillin assays adapted for T. japonicus. Buckwheat, cilantro, and dill provided the best nectar sources for T. japonicus by improving median survival by 15, 3.5, and 17.5 days compared to water. These three nectar sources increased wasps’ sugar levels, and cilantro and dill also increased glycogen levels. Sweet alyssum, marigold, crimson clover, yellow mustard, and phacelia did not improve wasp survival or nutrient reserves. Further research is needed to determine if these flowers maintain their benefits in the field and whether they will increase the parasitism rate of H. halys.

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Assemblage of the Egg Parasitoids of the Invasive Stink Bug Halyomorpha halys: Insights on Plant Host Associations

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects11090588 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 588

Author(s):

Livia Zapponi ◽

Marie Claude Bon ◽

Jalal Melhem Fouani ◽

Gianfranco Anfora ◽

Silvia Schmidt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Mitochondrial Gene ◽

Strong Support ◽

Egg Parasitoids ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Halyomorpha Halys ◽

Stink Bug ◽

Plant Host ◽

Egg Masses ◽

Host Associations

Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is an invasive alien species and a key agricultural pest. Its native parasitoids (Trissolcus japonicus Ashmead and Tr. mitsukurii Ashmead) have been registered in several countries where H. halys brought dramatic economic losses and where biological control is considered to be the most effective long-term solution. By searching for stink bug egg masses and exposing sentinel egg masses, we monitored the distribution of native and exotic egg parasitoids in Trentino-Alto Adige (Italy), an area where both the host and parasitoids are in expansion. We recorded ten pentatomids, seven parasitoid species, with the first report of Tr. japonicus in this area and a hyperparasitoid. In the assemblage, Anastatus bifasciatus (Geoffroy) and Tr. mitsukurii were the dominant parasitoids, with a different distribution in terms of context and host plants. Sycamore was the host plant where the highest number of naturally laid parasitized egg masses (26%) were recorded. Trissolcus mitsukurii showed the highest parasitism rate, and was often found in apple orchards. The emergence of exotic parasitoids showed a temporal delay compared to native ones. Sequence analysis of 823 bp of the CO1 mitochondrial gene revealed that the recovered Tr. japonicus and Tr. mitsukurii harbored one single haplotype each. These haplotypes were previously found in 2018 in Northern Italy. While sentinel egg masses proved to be very effective in tracking the arrival of exotic Trissolcus species, the collection of stink bug egg masses provided fundamental data on the plant host species. The results lend strong support to the adaptation of exotic Trissolcus species to the environmental conditions of the range of introduction, providing new information on plant host-associations, fundamental for the development of biological control programs.

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