Everything you need to know about Kudzu and the Kudzu Bug

The Kudzu Bug, Megacopta cribraria, is an invasive species that was first detected in North America in 2009. The species feeds on legumes. Kudzu and soybeans are preferred legume hosts. When the species feeds on Kudzu, it is beneficial, as it was determined that the insect could stall biomass of Kudzu growth by 30%. When the species feeds on soybeans, it is an economic pest, as significant infestations can cause yield losses up to and sometimes exceeding 60%. SCETV interviewed Clemson University’s Professor of Entomology, Jeremy Greene, at Clemson’s Edisto Research and Education Center in Blackville, SC last week for more information.
The Kudzu plant was introduced to the United States to control erosion in the late 19th century. Unfortunately, it got out of hand and it is now referred to as the “vine that ate the South”. During the Summer months in South Carolina, Kudzu can grow up to a foot long in a day.
The Kudzu Bug species is truly invasive as well, most likely originating from Japan or China based on genetic evidence. A likely scenario is that one gravid female made it on board an international flight from the Far East straight to the USA (most likely Atlanta, GA), got out of the airplane in Atlanta, and started colonizing patches of Kudzu east of the Atlanta area. There were 9 counties in northeast GA that had confirmed findings of Kudzu Bug in 2009. By 2010, South Carolina had the insect in 16 counties. By May of 2011, South Carolina became the first state to be totally infested with the species. Now, the species covers the entire southeastern USA.
Kudzu Bug also “likes” light colors, such as the white trim used on houses, and it congregates on homes and is a tremendous nuisance pest.
Dr. Jeremy Greene and his colleague Dr. Francis Reay-Jones worked with a couple of graduate students on the Kudzu Bug as it related to soybean production. They generated more than a dozen scientific papers on the pest in soybeans. Kudzu Bugs wreaked havoc on soybean producers and home owners for years, primarily between 2010 and 2015. Then, they began to notice a sudden decline in their numbers.
One of the things they discovered is a naturally occurring fungal organism that lives in our soil infects the Kudzu Bug. This entomopathogen called Beauveria bassiana attacks insects, but a strain was selected that recognized Kudzu Bugs so well, it actually caused a significant decline in numbers of the species. There is also a small wasp that specifically attacks the eggs of the Kudzu Bug. Both of these natural enemies have exerted tremendous biological control on the Kudzu Bugs.

[@jonallie1117]

Here's an idea for Kudzu. Use prison inmates - start a goat farm at the prison then inmates take the goats to eat the Kudzu. After goats eat up an area then other inmates have to dig up all of the roots and make herbs, starch, breading, kudzu potatoes etc. And others can pick and package the leaves and package for salad type food. Of course, make sure they don't pick poison ivy. Also, prepare the vines for making baskets and/or rope then send to a factory for that purpose and train the inmates to make everything out of this Kudzu then when they get out of prison they have a free resource for making money - even offer company contracts for those whom did a good job upon their release from prison.

[@simonphoenix3789]

sounds like a pretty good idea.. but whats to stop inmates from running away or hiding in the kudzu? and the plant just grows back unless you dig up the rhizomes apparently.

[@juniorcarmona323]

That's what a true Nation with true leaders would do
Sadly we will in a world run by Evil people

[@wizardmongol4868]

@@juniorcarmona323 *jews

[@lukeryuzaki2328]

@@simonphoenix3789 Don't need inmates for this job. Just hire professional goat browsing/grazing businesses. You know we still have to pay inmate if they're required to work. They're unlikely as good as people who make a living by goat grazing business. And security issue is a concern.
Rhizomes issue can be with pig rooting behavior. So just pay people who run pig on pasture.

[@PneumaticFrog]

​@@wizardmongol4868man you just don't like jews.

[@sueyoung2115]

I'm new to south FL gardening and found these on my yard long beans... Along with fire ants! Are the ants "tending" the larval stage of those bugs like aphids?

[@GREATLORDPOOH]

Nature achieves balance

[@StreetPeter]

Even Though brain man says its bad, i still love how beautiful kudzu looks.

[@MrRocco_]

Gggggggoooooooooaaaaaaattttttttttt

[@SweetGumMinis]

I own goats, have for 15 years, still have kudzu. Goats eat leaves and sometimes some of the vines, they do not eat the roots. The only way to remove kudzu is by root.

[@albertafarmer8638]

It's a very nutritious weed. Goats, horses, cows et cetera will devour kudzu, let them have it.

[@raphlvlogs271]

are they nitrogen fixation plants?

[@williejohnson5172]

Hmmmmmm. A single Kudzu bug just happened to sail across the ocean just when the government was telling everybody it was invasive. And that single female bug reproduced and found out soybeans, and black beans, and snap beans were yummy too.

[@peaceandlove5214]

Somehow I love this plant and I think it would solve desertification problem in my country.

[@Blaqjaqshellaq]

What is your country?

[@peaceandlove5214]

@@Blaqjaqshellaq Iraq.

[@Scp716creativecommons]

​@@peaceandlove5214 if it could establish along high flow wadi, it would be fascinating to see the ecology change! smaller, fast growing, tress could take advantage after a year or two, with some help from pruning, to allow the sun to the enriched, new soil.

[@DeeRuss]

I live in east TN you would see kudzu infestations in some places in Athens TN there’s a big hill that covers about 40 acres and it’s all kudzu and dead trees

[@darthvader5300]

Try treating the soil with granite rock dust powders to make the kudzu plants so healthy and self-protective against bugs and diseases and parasites.

[@williejohnson5172]

Uh. What did the bugs solve? Don't the kudzu grow right back?

[@Terrysoddy]

If you plant kudzu on your property where there’s weeds and just places that are very hard to mow, will it grow and. Choke out weeds and every other plant that’s there

[@ainhoariveravelasco564]

well they sure love my bouganvillea

[@cynthiaa.9469]

I was going to order Kudzu seeds and plant them so that I could use their roots for tea and yogurt (since Kudzu roots is good for GERD) but bugs in large numbers scare me. I definitely don't want it in my hair or body or in the home. Yuck!

[@flowwizardz6695]

I'd be more worried about the kudzu covering your home if you ever get injured, and can't tend your insidious kudzu garden.

[@darthvader5300]

Try treating the soil with granite rock dust powders to make the kudzu plants so healthy and self-protective against bugs and diseases and parasites.

[@peaceandlove5214]

If you collect it and sale it as fodder or green manure or anything makes money alot of people will cut it.

[@queenqutie9236]

Allow goats to roam

[@cagrangersealninja3720]

The plant is also medicinal

[@audaxhistoricus7467]

We don’t care, we don’t want it here.

[@jakeryker546]

Goats and rabbits and you'll get the livestock that ate the vine that ate the south xD

[@MrRocco_]

That would probably work but when the vine is gone what do you do to the extra livestock

[@brucethomas3100]

@@MrRocco_
Livestock Auction. Buy them feed them Kudzu, get them fat, sell them.

[@MrRocco_]

@@brucethomas3100 ok

[@alliecat6342]

I hate kudzu and kudzu bugs!!!

[@pavlovssheep5548]

so the big problem here is monoculture

[@Iowarail]

Thank God for Monsanto and insecticide!!!!!!!

[@slojogojo2766]

Iowarail Monsanto yes indeed if they had their way they would patent all plants and we would have to go to them for all our seeds not to mention killing us through their poisons!

[@albertafarmer8638]

GOD gave us goats, horses and other livestock, I'm sure HE won't bless Monsanto and others who destroy HIS earth, see Revelation 11:18. (Gordon's wife)

[@bsmythe3214]

Kudzu bugs also stink, just like stink bugs, to which they are related.