Statewide and Season-Long Surveys for Pentatomidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Minnesota Wheat

Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) that occur in Minnesota wheat have received little attention. Due to the invasion of Halyomorpha halys (Stål) and the increasing abundance of native stink bugs in the region, a 2-yr statewide survey and 2-yr season-long survey were conducted to characterize the species composition, abundance, and seasonal dynamics of Pentatomidae in wheat. Surveys were performed using sweep-net sampling in wheat fields. Fourteen species of Pentatomidae (thirteen herbivorous and one predatory) were detected across both surveys. The recent invader, H. halys, was not collected in either survey. In the statewide survey, Euschistus variolarius (Palisot de Beauvois) was the most abundant species (63.08 and 75.33% of adults in 2011 and 2012, respectively) and the most prevalent species (collected from 10.53 and 51.54% of fields in 2011 and 2012, respectively). Species of intermediate abundance and prevalence were Euschistus servus euschistoides (Vollenhoven), Euschistus ictericus (L.), and Podisus maculiventris (Say). Across both years of the season-long survey, adults of herbivorous species first appeared in fields in early June followed by the appearance of herbivorous nymphs in early July. The abundance of nymphs peaked in late July to the beginning of August in 2013 and in early July in 2014. Adults were detected in fields throughout the season. The results presented here provide baseline information on the species composition, abundance, and seasonal dynamics of Pentatomidae in Minnesota wheat and will be necessary for documentation of changes to this fauna.