A detection assay to identify alternative food sources of the two-spotted stink bug, Bathycoelia distincta

A plant detection assay was developed to identify plant DNA from stink bug gut. A feeding time trial was performed for Bathycoelia distincta insects. They were fed on maize and then transferred to macadamia and collected at different timepoints to determine for how long the maize DNA can still be detected. Additionally, stink bugs were collected from macadamia orchards to identify alternative food sources of the stink bugs. Extracted DNA were amplified with trnL and trnF chloroplast barcoding primers and sequenced with Illumina MiSeq.