Pheromone-Induced Movement of Nymphs of the Predator,Podisus maculiventris(Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

Males of the generalist predator,Podisus maculiventris(Say) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) (known as the spined soldier bug), attract mates with a pheromone, but the immature stages of the predator also appeared to be attracted. Therefore, attraction of nymphs ofP. maculiventristo pheromone was studied in a wind tunnel and in field plots. The behavior of individual nymphs toward pheromone with and without Colorado potato beetles,Leptinotarsa decemilineata(Say) (Chrysomelidae), and/or potato plants in the airstream was studied in a wind tunnel. Field experiments were performed in plots planted with green beans,Phaseolus vulgarisL. that were allowed to become naturally infested with Mexican bean beetles,Epilachna varivestis(Moulsant) (Coccinellidae). Spined soldier bug nymphs were released in the middle row of plots planted for 3 weeks, and three commercial pheromone dispensers were placed outside the thirteenth row of a plot.Podisus maculiventrisnymphs were significantly attracted to synthetic pheromone both in the laboratory and in the field. Results of wind tunnel experiments indicated that combining the pheromone with the phytophage significantly increased the positive responses of nymphs compared to the pheromone alone; however, inclusion of damaged or undamaged potato plants with pheromone did not enhance the positive responses to the odor source. Spined soldier bugs released in field plots remained relatively sedentary for the first day after release, but by the end of the 1-week sampling period nymphs had significantly moved into rows nearer the pheromone dispensers. The ability to manipulate immature spined soldier bugs significantly expands the potential for using this generalist predator in integrated pest management programs.