Biological control of invasive stink bugs: review of global state and future prospects

International audienceInvasive stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are responsible for high economic losses to agricul-ture on a global scale. The most important species, dating from recent to old invasions, includeBagrada hilaris (Burmeister), Halyomorpha halys (Stal), Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood), Nezara vir-idula (L.), and Murgantia histrionica (Hahn). Bagrada hilaris, H. halys,andN. viridula are nowalmost globally distributed. Biological control of these pests faces a complex set of challenges thatmust be addressed to maintain pest populations below the economic injury level. Several case studiesof classical and conservation biological control of invasive stink bugs are reported here. The mostcommon parasitoids in their geographical area of origin are egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Scelion-idae, Encyrtidae, and Eupelmidae). Additionally, native parasitoids of adult stink bugs (Diptera:Tachinidae) have in some cases adapted to the novel hosts in the invaded area and native predatorsare known to prey on the various instars. Improving the efficacy of biocontrol agents is possiblethrough conservation biological control techniques and exploitation of their chemical ecology.Moreover, integration of biological control with other techniques, such as behavioural manipulationof adult stink bugs and plant resistance, may be a sustainable pest control method within organicfarming and integrated pest management programs. However, additional field studies are needed toverify the efficacy of these novel methods and transfer them from research to application