Kudzu Bug

Natural Habitat

Typically found in agricultural fields, residential gardens, and on the sides of light-colored buildings during autumn.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous; primarily feeds on the sap of legumes such as kudzu vines and soybeans.

Behavior Patterns

They are known for aggregation, often gathering in large numbers on white or light-colored surfaces. They overwinter as adults in leaf litter or under bark and have a hemimetabolous (incomplete) metamorphosis.

Risks & Benefits

Considered a significant agricultural pest for soybean crops. They do not bite humans, but they can emit a foul-smelling defensive chemical that may cause skin irritation or staining. To the ecosystem, they help control the invasive kudzu vine.

Identified on: 4/13/2026