Confirmatory evaluation of eFUME for control of brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

The governments of Australia and New Zealand require a phytosanitary treatment to control adult brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stal) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), as overwintering aggregations have been intercepted in the importation pathway of various nonhorticultural consignments, including vehicles. The commercialized fumigant, eFUME, a 16.7% by mass dilution of ethyl formate in carbon dioxide, resulted in complete control of ca. 1,000 field-collected, naturally diapausing adult H. halys in each of 3 independent trials at 10 +/- 0.5 degrees C ((x) over bar +/- 2s) when ethyl formate levels in enclosure headspace were maintained steady-state at ca. 14.5 mg/liter for 4 h to yield Ct exposures ranging from 57.9 to 63.1 mg/liter h. Consistent with previous findings where greenhouse reared H. halys were controlled using laboratory formulations of this ethyl formate-carbon dioxide mixture, these confirmatory methods and results further inform technical and operational features of commercial practice.

Automated summary

The governments of Australia and New Zealand require phytosanitary treatment to control brown marmorated stink bugs in imported nonhorticultural consignments. A commercial fumigant called eFUME, consisting of a dilution of ethyl formate in carbon dioxide, effectively controlled overwintering adult stink bugs in field-collected samples. The study provides further insights into the technical and operational aspects of using this fumigant in commercial practice.