The Bug, a New Invasive Pest of Cole Crops

John Palumbo, Yuma Ag Center University of Arizona, Yuma

Bagrada Bug, Bagrada hilaris

Female Male Harlequin bug Bagrada bug Murgantia histronica Bagrada hilaris Bagrada Bug, Bagrada hilaris

• Sept 2009 - found damaging cole crops in Coachella Valley, Imperial Valley and Yuma County

• First reported in USA, Orange Co., CA in 2008

• Indigenous to the old world - Africa and Asia where it is considered a major pest of Cruciferous crops.

• Small stinkbug –often found walking on ground underneath plants and resting in cracks in soil J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona

• Bagrada bugs will lay eggs on the leaves, and in the soil underneath the plants. • A single female can lay as many as 100 eggs within 2 to 3 weeks. • The incubation period is 4 to 8 days. • This eggmass was found on a cotyledon in the Yuma Valley. Here is the same egg mass - after 4 days at room temperature.

J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona

Although mating was obviously occurring, we did not observe any egg masses on the plants. The above image shows what we presume is a neonate, newly hatched nymph found crawling on the soil surface. Note its size relative to the knife blade. J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona Bagrada bug - biology (India / Pakastan)

Egg hatch Nymph development Development Time (days) Pre-oviposition period

30

20

10

0 o o 75 F 86o F 95 F Average Temperature Bagrada bug - biology (India / Pakastan)

Adult Longevity (days) Egg hatch Nymph development 30 Development Time (days) Pre-oviposition period 25 30 20

1520

10 10 5

0 0 o o o 75o F 86 F 95o F 75 F 86o F 95 F Average Temperature Average Temperature Bagrada bug - biology (India / Pakastan)

Adult Longevity (days) Egg hatch Fecundity (eggs / female) Nymph development 30 Development Time (days) Pre-oviposition period 199 25 95 30 20

1520 45 10 10 5

0 0 o o o 75o F 86 F 95o F 75 F 86o F 95 F Average Temperature Average Temperature Host Range Host Range

Cruciferous Agronomic Weeds canola chard lambsquarter broccoli mizuna black mustard bok choy purple nutsedge napa cotton Euphorbia spp. broccoflower arugula legumes (?) sowthistle mustards wheat field bindweed rutabaga shepardspurse radish collards

* Have observed feeding damage on these crops **Have observed on plants HostHost Range Range

*** Major pest of Canola & Brassica seed crops in India and Pakistan Yuma Valley - Canola- May 7, 2010 1st instar nymphs

Symptoms / Damage

J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona

Damage on leaves might be mistaken for herbicide damage (e.g., Goaltender) J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona

J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona Injured Plants (%)

100 Wilted Terminal Dead Terminal 80

60

40

20

0 2 days 3 days 2 days 3 days Infested Plants Check (1 adult / plant) (no adults)

J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona

Adult bragada bug feeding on broccoli cotyledon, Coachella Valley, CA, Sep 2009. Note: the mouthparts underneath head inserted into leaf tissue (arrow) J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona

J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona 3 2

1

4

J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona 4

3 8 5

2 7 6

1

J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona This is your Broccoli on Bagrada bugs

4

3 8 5

2 7 6

1

J.C. Palumbo, Univ. of Arizona Are Bagrada bugs more active at Night ?

Consperse stink bug Euschistus conspersus Are Bagrada bugs more active at Night ?

Southern Green Stink Bug Nezara virdula Effective Chemical Control – India and Pakastan

OP / CH Seed Carbamates Pyrethroid Treatments Others

Lorsban Warrior Azodrin Garlic Azodrin Mustang phosphamidon Pepper Endosulfan Asana carbosulfan Soap MSR Danitol lindane Tobacco lindane fluvalinate Neem malathion pyrethrin Sevin Economic Threshold: dichlorvos -Seedlings: 1 bug/m2 phosalone -Larger plants: 3 bugs MSR Bagrada bugs / 20 plants 2.0 3 DAT 5 DAT Trial I 1.5 - Sep 24, 2009 - broccoli 1.0 - cotyledon stage - 20 GPA 0.5

0.0 NAI 2302 Belay Brigade Untreated

2.0 2 DAT 3 DAT Trial II 1.5 5 DAT - Sep 29, 2009 - cabbage 1.0 - cotyledon - 24 GPA 0.5

0.0 Mustang Brigade Lannate Untreated 4 oz 5 oz 0.5 lb Bagrada Bugs Alternatives for Bagrada bug Control in Desert Cole Crops

Lannate Lorsban Diazinon st Orthene 1 Warrior choice Mustang Max Asana Voliam Xpress Venom Assail nd Belay 2

• All of these products have shown good control of Harliquin bug in the southern and eastern U.S.