The insects were first found in Georgia in 2009, and since then, they have been found in soybean fields there and in South Carolina in large numbers. N.C. State University assistant professor Dominic Reisig said that during the week of May 14, kudzu bugs had been reported in soybean fields in six North Carolina counties.

 

Reisig said the insects originated in Japan and are believed to have entered the United States near Atlanta. He said North Carolina entomologists have joined with researchers in South Carolina and Georgia to find effective strategies for managing kudzu bugs, but no one has much to offer.

 

Experts also say while kudzu bugs don't bite, they can cause skin irritation.