Kudzu Bug

(Megacopta Cribraria)

Interesting Facts & Information

Harmless to people and houseplants
Lay 26 to 274 eggs at a time, and many of them will not survive
Have a defense mechanism in which they release a bad smelling pheromone, this is where they get one of their common nicknames, Globular Stink Bug. This mechanism can become a nuisance to people because of the smell and it is known to leave a brownish stain when it is released (Poplin & Hodges)
Can be found living in any areas surrounding kudzu vines are growing
Multicellular and Eukaryotic
Reproduce Sexually
Omnivores, Kudzu vines are their main food source

Origins of the Kudzu Bug

Native to Asia, most specifically in the southwestern islands of the Japanese archipelago, India, and China
They made their way to the Southeastern part of the United States, originally being discovered in Georgia in 2009 (Poplin & Hodges)
The have since spread to 13 states(including South Carolina)

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Hemiptera

Family: Plataspidae

Genus: Megacopta

Species: Cribraria

Pests of the Southeast

In their native regions of Asia, the Kudzu bugs are not known to be pests for any reasons
However, in Georgia and South Carolina they are known to be an annoyance to homeowners and a pest to soybean fields across the states.
The Kudzu Bugs gather in large groups on the soybean crops and they feed on the leaves and stems, which leads to abnormal pod growth.
Their infestations can lead to more than a 50% loss in any given soybean field (Blount etc.)

Kudzu Bug Research

Since the discovery of the bug in Georgia in 2009 they have become a pest of soybeans, kudzu, and other legume type plants. Some non-legume hosts have also been reported
There was a research study done from 2012-2013 to test what crops grown in the southeast would generate the most development of Kudzu Bug. This was carried out to further understand where the bugs will easily cause an infestation problem.
They tested 18 different plants to see how well the bug developed on each host

Chart shows the amount of fully grown Kudzu Bugs on each host crop
Shows which hosts were best for the development of the bugs

Data Analysis & Conclusion

It was found that soybeans, edamame, and pigeon peas were the suitable legume hosts.
Fava beans showed low levels of development and the rest showed no significant amount of development.
The study’s conclusions and results have been used to help understand what crops need to be looked at and protected from Kuzdu Bug infestations in the Southeast
The Kudzu Bug is very clearly an agricultural pest in the Southeastern portion of the United States based on this research study

Sources:

Blount, J L; Buntin, G D; and Sparks, A N, Jr. 2015. “Host Preference of Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) on Selected Edible Beans and Soybean.” Journal of Econonic Entomology 108, 3: 1094-1105.

Homeowner. Homeowner - Kudzu Bug. (n.d.). Retrieved September 10, 2021, from https://www.kudzubug.org/homeowner/.

How to get rid of kudzu bugs: Facts, treatment & control. Orkin.com. (2020, July 6). Retrieved September 10, 2021, from https://www.orkin.com/other/kudzubug#:~:text=What%20do%20they%20eat%3F,being%20considered%20an%20agricultura l%20pest.

Poplin, A and Hodges, A. 2012. “bean plataspid”, University of Florida Entomology and Nematology Department. Retrieved August 29, 2021. https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/field/bugs/bean_plataspid.htm

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