Field Identification
A small mottled brown plataspid bug that feeds on legumes including kudzu, soybeans, and wisteria, and aggregates on houses in fall. On beans it can reduce yield; some people have skin irritation from contact.
Broadly oval, slightly wider at the rear, with a noticeable 'hump' profile. Nymphs are round and red-marked before darkening.
How to Deal With It
Organic Control Methods
Seal home gaps in fall; remove nearby kudzu and early-season wisteria hosts when feasible.
Parasitoid wasps (e.g., Paratelenomus saccharalis) have followed the pest into North America; avoid sprays during peak parasitism.
Early-planted trap crops of preferred legumes can concentrate bugs for vacuum or removal before main crop flowering.
Soapy water traps under aggregated shrubs; shop-vac for porch swarms.
Neem or pyrethrin (botanical) on legume crops only when thresholds warrant and label allows; scout for beneficials first.
Let Nature Handle It
Natural Enemies
- Parasitoid Wasps
- Assassin Bugs
Threat Map