Are Invasive Pests Stoppable?

The southern green stinkbug Nezara viridula is cosmopolitan and highly polyphagous, attacking more than 150 species of dicotyledonous plants and several monocots, showing a preference for legumes. It temporarily switches between plants, because the host preference changes with host maturity and phenology. Nezara viridula spreads all over the world; thus, beeing a representative model species in studies on the impact of global warming on insect populations. See Dmitry Musonlin's extensive work in this field!

Our recent paper focuses on the hold of the southern green stink bug on its host plants.

Both robust claws and tough adhesive pads enable the N. viridula bugs to grasp and adhere to a wide range of various plant substrates, including such ones covered with anti-adhesive wax crystals. However, tabular, pruinose pea leaves were detected to prevent the foothold of the southern green stink bugs, although pea is known as one of their common host plants.