Kudzu Bugs
Category: Miscellaneous
Scientific Name: Megacopta cribraria (Fabricius)
Identification:
Color: Body is olive green to tan, with dark brown specks
Size: Body of adults is about 3.5 to 6 mm in length
Region: Found throughout the US and Japa
Important Considerations:
The Kudzu Bug gets its name from the food it eats, which is kudzu Ohwi
This bug is an agricultural pest that attacks legumes, such as soybeans and greenbeans
Females lay eggs in groups of 26 to 274 on the underside of kudzu leaves
The females also deposit small capsules on the underside of their eggs which contains specific symbiotic bacteria that the nymphs need to ingest to help with food digestion
Time from egg to adult ranges from 24 to 56 days
Adult lifespans are about 23 to 77 days
Where to Find Them on Your Property?
You will find Kudzu Bugs mainly on the outside of your property, although they do occasionally come inside. Since it is so small, it can easily hide in the cracks and crevices around your home. Around mid-summer, kudzu bugs move to attacking soybean plants, where they cause considerable crop damage. Kudzu bugs leave plants in the fall, and normally begin gathering on structures in mid-October and continue to early December.