Asian kudzu bugs invade the South

One of the new pests that we have is the kudzu bug, or the bean plataspid, it does not have a common name yet. This insect is indigenous to the Far East. It was detected in the United States for the first time in Georgia in 2009. It has since covered South Carolina entirely, it has covered most of North Carolina and now most of Georgia and it is into Alabama as well. This invasive pest has spread rapidly in the United States in just a couple of seasons. This insect is a problem on soybeans and we are trying to address that problem because we think that is it going to be an economic issue. I have a full time PhD graduate student that has started on this project and after this season, we should have a lot of answers as to what this insect pest is doing to our soybeans and our producers.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Clemson University
• Public Service
• asia
• bug
• pest
• georgia
• Alabama
• South Carolina
• North Carolina
• soybeans
• Far East
• plataspid
• kudzu
• Extension