Acoustical and Behavioral Analysis of the Songs of the Southern Green Stink Bug, Nezara viridula1

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Abstract
Observations and recordings covering 112 h revealed that Nezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) has an extensive acoustic repertoire which mediates a complex mating behavior. Females have three songs, all behaviorally and acoustically distinct. Males produce seven behaviorally distinct songs, but three of these are very similar acoustically. Males sing rivalry duets, and males and females engage in two different male-female alternations. Relative mating success resulting from different acoustic strategies is discussed. Two songs, which have fundamental frequencies of 8 to 9 kHz and are structurally complex, stand apart acoustically from the others, which fall between 122 and 232 Hz and differ among themselves primarily in temporal pattern of pulse trains. None of the songs is of sufficient intensity to be heard by the unaided human ear. The repertoire of the geographical race studied (southeastern United States) differs from that of a Yugoslavian race reported in the literature in number of songs, acoustic parameters thereof, and associated behavior.