Kudzu Bug Life Cycle
Life Cycle Stages
Kudzu bugs are hemimetabolis insects. This means they complete their life cycle via incomplete metamorphosis. They develop in three stages:
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Egg
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Nymph
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Adult
Generally, these pests complete one or two generations per year. Kudzu bugs are an invasive species that came into the US from its native region of Asia.
Eggs
Female kudzu bugs lay their eggs on kudzu leaves, soybeans, and wisteria. They place them in two side-by-side rows with about 15 eggs each.
Lying underneath the eggs are capsules of endosymbiotic bacteria. After hatching, the bugs must consume this in order to digest the host plant.
Nymphs
Kudzu bugs have five nymphal stages. Nymphs have a hairy appearance and vary in color. They tend to be pale orange, olive green, or light brown. Approximately six to eight weeks after hatching, the nymphs develop into adults.
Adults
During the late fall and winter months, adults and late instar nymphs often become nuisances. This is because they overwinter inside homes and attics. Kudzu bugs also overwinter in leaf litter or under tree bark.
When the winter months pass, kudzu bugs make their way outdoors to resume feeding and reproduction.
Encounters & Concerns
In the United States, kudzu bugs have a bivoltine life cycle. This means two generations of the pest usually occur per year. At the end of the second generation, adult kudzu bugs overwinter and begin the cycle again during spring.
