Abstract
Soybean is an important food crop, and insect integrated pest management (IPM) is critical to the sustainability of this production system. In recent years, the introduction into the United States of the kudzu bug currently identified as Megacopta cribraria (F.), poses a threat to soybean production. The kudzu bug was first discovered in the state of Georgia, U.S. in 2009 and since then has spread to most of the southeastern states. Because it was not found in the North American subcontinent before this time, much of our knowledge of this insect comes from research done in its native habitat. However, since the U.S. introduction, studies have been undertaken to improve our understanding of the kudzu bug basic biology, microbiome, migration patterns, host selection and management in its expanding new range. Researchers are not only looking at developing IPM strategies for the kudzu bug in soybean, but also at its unique relationship with symbiotic bacteria. Adult females deposit bacterial packets with their eggs, and the neonates feed on these packets to acquire the bacteria, Candidatus Ishikawaella capsulata. The kudzu bug should be an informative model to study the co-evolution of insect function and behavior with that of a single bacteria species. We review kudzu bug trapping and survey methods, the development of bioassays for insecticide susceptibility, insecticide efficacy, host preferences, impact of the pest on urban environments, population expansion, and the occurrence of natural enemies. The identity of the kudzu bug in the U.S. is not clear. We propose that the kudzu bug currently accepted as M. cribraria in the U.S. is actually Megacopta punctatissima, with more work needed to confirm this hypothesis.
Highlights
Kudzu bug, Megacopta cribraria (F.) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Plataspidae), is native to the Old World, i.e., the Eastern hemisphere continents of Asia and Australia, where it is commonly known as bean plataspid, lablab bug and globular stink bug [1]
When the symbiont capsules of these two species are experimentally switched and these two species are reared on soybean, the egg hatch rate from M. punctatissima females which feed normally on soybeans drops to about 55% while that for M. cribraria females that do not feed typically on soybeans increases to approximately 40% [44]
Study showed there were no fixed substitutions in U.S populations of the symbiont. These results suggest that M. cribraria was capable of feeding on soybean at the time of its introduction into the U.S This study, based on allele frequency analysis, found differential selection of nutritional provisioning genes in kudzu and soybean between 2009 and 2011 further highlighting the role of this symbiont in host selection and its expansion to new hosts
Summary
Megacopta cribraria (F.) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Plataspidae), is native to the Old World, i.e., the Eastern hemisphere continents of Asia and Australia, where it is commonly known as bean plataspid, lablab bug and globular stink bug [1]. No kudzu bug or for that matter any member of the insect family, Plataspidae, had been described in the continental U.S before 2009 [2]. In October 2009, large numbers of the kudzu bug were discovered on the walls of. Map is comi(sapccicoleemsdspebidlyeodWnba2yy0WnNeaoyAvne.emGAba.erGrda2nr0ed1rn5[e)6.r][,6U], nUinvievresristiytyooffGGeeoorrggiiaa ((aavvaaiillaabbleleaat ththtptt:p//:w//wwww.kwud.kzuudbuzgu.bourgg/.)org/) (accessed on 20 November 2015). Wpohteernetitahlleybaulsgosccaanncaduesfecdaitrecpt rhoudmuacnindgabmraogwentospots on waskllisn oarnsderevyesasfroamgetnheeriraldneufeinssainvececthoemreiscaidlsen[1t2s];[2t]h.eHcomwpeovseirt,iotnheoifr pthreesfeercehnecmeicisaltsohoavsenrwotinter elsewbheeerne.chTahreaycteproiztend.tially can cause direct human damage to skin and eyes from their defensive chemicalsU[p12u]n; ttihlethceotmimpeoosfittihoenkoufdtzhuesbeugchinetmroidcaulcstihonas, tnhoertebweeans vcihrtauraalclytenroizreeds.earch interest in this UinpseuctnitniltthheeUt.iSm. Seinocfeththeekn,urdezseuarbcuhgerisnhtaroveduincvteiostnig, athteedrenuwmaesrovuirstuasaplleyctns oofrtehsiesairncvhasiinvteeirnessetcitn.
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