Specific composition, seasonal abundance, and influence of abiotic factors on stinkbugs [Hemiptera: Pentatomidae] in pea field in Québec
The recent increase of distribution range and abundance of a family of stink bug, Pentatomidae, in Nearctic zone, begins to become problematic since 2013 in fresh pea fields in Quebec, Canada. Lack of knowledge about these insects and alternatives to chemical treatments have led to preventive applications of broad-spectrum insecticides in these fields. The objectives of this study were to establish the specific composition and the temporal dynamics of Pentatomidae in fresh peas grown in Southern Quebec. A monitoring was done using pheromone traps containing aggregation pheromones and visual observations in 2016-2017. The dominant species (99.4%) was the brown stink bug (Euschistus servus euschistoides). Pheromone traps captured more individuals during the vegetative and flowering stages than during the pod stage. More individuals were captured by pheromone traps when mean temperature increases. This study highlights the low diversity of Pentatomidae in fresh pea fields, indicating that it could be possible to develop IPM strategy with monitoring tool, establishment of intervention threshold and developing alternative solutions to the current phytosanitary treatment to control this species.