Kudzu Bugs vs. Brown Marmorated Stink Bug: What’s the Difference?

Kudzu Bugs vs. Brown Marmorated Stink Bug: What’s the Difference?

Noticing small, greenish-brown bugs congregating throughout the cracks of your home’s foundation or even inside your house? While many might identify these insects as stinkbugs, they might actually kudzu bugs! Kudzu bugs and brown marmorated stinkbugs are often confused with each other. While these pests do have some similarities, they are quite different from each other. Let’s breakdown how these insects are both alike and different!

How They’re Alike
Kudzu Bug
Kudzu Bug

Both stinkbugs and kudzu bugs are known to be a nuisance to all homeowners. Both are highly attracted to warmth and will enter homes to find a warm place to gather. When disturbed, both species will emit an alarming chemical defense against predators. When crushed, they release a very unpleasant odor from their bodies. Even worse, if several of these insects are crushed together, the smell left behind is extremely powerful. 

How They’re Different
Stinkbug
Stinkbug

A stinkbug’s shield-like body is around 1/2″ long and 1/2″ wide with shades of brown across its entire body. Their body size is a bit larger than a kudzu bug, with the kudzu’s measuring only 4 to 6 millimeters long. Kudzu bug bodies are olive green and brown, with a flat, squarish body shape.

Stinkbugs will typically feed off ornamental plants, fruit trees, legumes, and vegetables. The kudzu bug prefers to eat kudzu vines but will occasionally eat soybeans and most any other type of beans. While both stinkbugs and kudzu bugs utilize different types of food sources, both will destroy crops, making both species agricultural pests.

How to Prevent Them

If you notice either of these pests infesting your home, try some of these pest prevention tips below:

  • Seal cracks around windows, doors, siding, and outlets that are leading inside.
  • Properly ventilate basements, attics, garages, and crawlspaces to eliminate harborage points.
  • Install screens over chimney and crawlspace vents.
  • Consider calling your local pest control company to inspect, identify areas of entry, and provide you with a treatment plan!

April's Pest of the Month – Carpenter Bees

carpenter bee-uga websiteCarpenter bees are often mistake for bumble bees because of their similarity in size and color.

Habits

  • Often found under decks or porch railings and under the eaves of a house.
  • Make nests by tunneling into wood.
  • Leave a trail of sawdust as they discard of the wood to build partitions within the tunnels.
  • Feed on plant nectar, not wood.

Threats

  • Homes with wooden decks, eaves, or other areas of exposed wood are likely targets for carpenter bee damage.
  • Males do not have stingers but can be aggressive to other bees, animals, or people near the nest.
  • Females can sting but rarely do unless they are agitated.

Prevention

  • Treat or paint all exposed wood surfaces.
  • Each nest hole should be treated individually if bees are inside.
  • Seal or paint nest holes if bees are not inside.

Other Pests to Look Out For:

For more information on carpenter bees you can visit our PEST ID page or call Northwest Exterminating at 888.466.7849.

 

Mosquito Eggs are Hatching Early…So What Does That Mean For You?

Mosquito eggs are hatching early…so what does that mean for you?

Reports have talked about the early mosquito season due to the warmer temperatures that we’ve experienced early in the season.  But will this impact your summer plans of being outdoors anymore than usual?  The Atlanta Journal Constitution ran a story featuring Northwest Exterminating that gives a glimpse of what we have to look forward to this summer with not just mosquitoes, but ants, kudzu bugs, and other pests as well.  The article includes reasons why we are seeing so many mosquitoes and tips on preventing them from invading your yard.

Read The AJC article here.

Although there are many DIY products and other mosquito control systems, Northwest recommends a monthly mosquito control program performed by licensed, experienced professionals.  Our Green Mosquito control uses products that are derived from flowers and bacteria to ensure that our program is effective and environmentally friendly.  For more information on our Green Mosquito Control or for a FREE inspection, visit us at callnorthwest.com.

Invasion of the Kudzu Bug

Due to the massive amount of calls that we have received lately regarding kudzu bugs, or stink bugs, we thought this earlier post would be beneficial!

In the past several weeks, our service centers have seen an emergence of kudzu bugs.  Kudzu bugs, also known as lablab bugs or globular bugs, have made their way to Georgia in recent years from Asia.  Thoughts are that because Atlanta has the “World’s Busiest Airport”, they could have arrived through Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.  Since kudzu bugs are fairly new to experts, research is still being done on this particular bug.

Kudzu bugs look like brown lady bugs and eat what other than…kudzu.  But kudzu isn’t all that these bugs are feeding on.  Kudzu bugs also eat soybean plants.  More research is being done to find out if kudzu bugs will eat our Georgia crops as well.

The kudzu bug is an occasional invader, choosing to enter properties for the shelter and possibly needing moisture.  Think of them as the same as boxelder bugs, but with an increased amount of generations and smaller so they fit in tiny cracks and crevices. They are known to eat specific plants, but can survive on others.  They have 3 generations per year, so they can build up populations in great numbers, but once the population is reduced, control can be maintained.

Kudzu bugs have a notorious stench they emit when they feel threatened so it is suggested that if you come in contact with such bugs in your home or vehicle that you vacuum them up instead of squashing them.  It is highly recommended that you dispose of the vacuumed bugs so they do not continue to emit their stench.

For more information, check out the University of Georgia’s kudzu video:

University of Georgia – Kudzu Bug

Northwest Exterminating offers a treatment plan specifically for kudzu bugs.  Call us at 888.466.7849 for more information.

Kudzu Bugs

Do to the massive amount of calls that we have received lately regarding kudzu bugs, or stink bugs, we thought this earlier post would be beneficial!

In the past several weeks, our service centers have seen an emergence of kudzu bugs.  Kudzu bugs, also known as lablab bugs or globular bugs, have made their way to Georgia in recent years from Asia.  Thoughts are that because Atlanta has the “World’s Busiest Airport”, they could have arrived through Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.  Since kudzu bugs are fairly new to experts, research is still being done on this particular bug.

Kudzu bugs look like brown lady bugs and eat what other than…kudzu.  But kudzu isn’t all that these bugs are feeding on.  Kudzu bugs also eat soybean plants.  More research is being done to find out if kudzu bugs will eat our Georgia crops as well.

The kudzu bug is an occasional invader, choosing to enter properties for the shelter and possibly needing moisture.  Think of them as the same as boxelder bugs, but with an increased amount of generations and smaller so they fit in tiny cracks and crevices. They are known to eat specific plants, but can survive on others.  They have 3 generations per year, so they can build up populations in great numbers, but once the population is reduced, control can be maintained.

Kudzu bugs have a notorious stench they emit when they feel threatened so it is suggested that if you come in contact with such bugs in your home or vehicle that you vacuum them up instead of squashing them.  It is highly recommended that you dispose of the vacuumed bugs so they do not continue to emit their stench.

For more information, check out the University of Georgia’s kudzu video:

University of Georgia – Kudzu Bug

Northwest Exterminating offers a treatment plan specifically for kudzu bugs.  Call us at 888.466.7849 for more information.

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