Sluggin' Along: Kudzu Bug: The Bane of Southern Plants

The Kudzu Bug (Megacopta cribraria), otherwise known as the Lablab Bug, Globular Stink Bug, and Bean Plataspid, is a major, though relatively new, pest in the Southeastern US. Related to the Stink Bug (as both belong to the superfamily Pentatomoidea), the Kudzu Bug also emits a foul-smelling odor when disturbed. These bugs love any kind of bean plant, which can infuriate gardeners and farmers, but, as their name implies, they also eat kudzu, which in itself is a pest around here, enveloping structures beyond recognition with its green vines . It seems that kudzu was introduced to the US without simultaneously introducing the insects that feed on it, and the one that was finally introduced proved to be hungry for more than kudzu and to have a tendency to invade people's homes in search of a cozy spot to overwinter. So, all I can say is: "Not funny, Asia."