Kudzu-bug
Guides
Megacopta
Megacopta is a genus of true bugs in the family Plataspidae, containing at least 25 described species distributed across Asia. The genus is best known for Megacopta cribraria, the kudzu bug, which became an invasive pest in North America after its accidental introduction to Georgia in 2009. Members of this genus are phytophagous, with many species associated with leguminous plants. Several Megacopta species possess obligate bacterial gut symbionts that are essential for normal development and are transmitted via symbiont capsules deposited on egg masses.
Ooencyrtus
Ooencyrtus is a genus of chalcid wasps in the family Encyrtidae, established by William Harris Ashmead in 1900. The genus comprises approximately 320 recognized species as of 2017, making it one of the larger genera within Encyrtidae. Species of Ooencyrtus are primarily egg parasitoids, attacking eggs of various insects including true bugs, beetles, and moths. Several species have been investigated for biological control of agricultural pests, including O. kuvanae for gypsy moth control and O. nezarae for kudzu bug management.
Plataspidae
shield bugs, kudzu bugs, plataspid bugs
Plataspidae is a family of shield bugs in the suborder Heteroptera, native to the Old World and primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions. Members are characterized by a greatly enlarged scutellum that covers most or all of the abdomen and wings. The family includes the economically significant pest Megacopta cribraria (kudzu bug), which was introduced to North America in 2009 and has become a major pest of soybean in the southeastern United States. Most species feed on plants, particularly legumes, though some exhibit broader host ranges.