Like fire ants, they’re spreading

Published 12:32 pm Friday, March 23, 2012

Kudzu bugs. Megacopta cribraria. Some folks call them stink bugs, or other names. They’re an import, and have moved up to this area from Georgia  first identified in 2009 by University of Georgia entomologists, it’s believed they hitched rides from Asia into Hartsfield International Airport.
Like fire ants, they’re spreading. Although these guys don’t sting, they’re a pest. They love kudzu for their main-course and think wisteria is dessert: but also soybeans, and possibly other crops. Wherever there’s kudzu, they will go. Cold weather is their enemy, and some people use pesticide to control the beast. Vacuuming them in the house works, although smashing them is not a good idea.
One good note is, I found a record number of praying mantis egg cases in the garden while working, so hope the mantis population will help control some of the pests.
So, if you see kudzu bugs: please tell them to pack their suitcases and hitch a ride back to Asia!

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