Spatiotemporal Dynamics of the Invasive Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in and Between Adjacent Corn and Soybean Fields

Knowledge on movement and spatial patterns of insect pest populations among preferred hosts aids in the development of effective pest management strategies. In this study, we quantified the spatiotemporal dynamics of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stal 1855), in relation to field corn, Zea mays L., and soybean, Glycine max (L.), crop phenology. We also examined the potential role of corn as a source of stink bugs in adjacent soybean. The highest density of stink bugs in each crop coincided with blister to milk-dough stages in corn (R2-R3/R4), and beginning seed to full seed (R5-R6) stages in soybean. In entire fields of adjacent corn and soybean, H. halys was found in very low density (<0.5/m(2)) or absent beyond 25m from the field edge. Inverse distance weighted interpolations of H. halys densities suggest potential dispersal of H. halys, particularly adults and large nymphs, from corn into soybean, coinciding with the end of dough stage in corn and beginning of soybean seed development stage. These findings have important implications for managing H. halys through location and timing of scouting efforts, consideration of crop arrangement, and decisions on management interventions. Repeated scouting of field corn to assess H. halys densities, particularly from blister stage onwards, could inform decisions on management interventions for preventing or mitigating H. halys colonization into soybean. Where H. halys is an economic problem, reducing the extent of boundary shared between corn and soybean could reduce dispersal into soybean.