2010 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 3012-1522

Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Rick D. Rudd, Interim Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; Wondi Mersie, Interim Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State, Petersburg.

Leaf‐FootedBugs

ThomasKuhar,JamesJenrette,andHélèneDoughtyDepartmentofEntomology,VirginiaTech

Order:HemipteraFamily:CoreidaeSpecies:Leptoglossusphyllopus(L.)andL.opposites(Say)

Fig.1.AdultLeptoglossusopposites.

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Introduction:Leaf‐footedbugsaremoderatelylargebugsinthegenusLeptoglossus(Family:Coreidae);whicharedistinguishedbytheunusualflatteningofthehindtibiawhichresemblesaleaf,hencethecommonname.Therearetwocommonspeciesofleaf‐footedbugsfoundinVirginia,Leptoglossusopposites(Fig.1)andL.phyllopus(Fig2).Bothspeciesaresimilarintheirbiology,andbothareconsideredapestofmanytypesofcrops,includingfruit,fruitingvegetables,nuts,andornamentals.Thepiercingsuckinginjurycausedbytheirfeedingisverysimilartothatofstinkbugs(Hemiptera:Pentatomidae).Underheavypestinfestations,seriousinjurycanoccurtothefruitingbodiesofcrops,oftenresultinginanunmarketableproduct.

Fig.2.AdultLeptoglossusphyllopus. Description:TheadultsofbothL.oppositesandL.phyllopushaveaflat,chocolatetodarkbrownbodywithgreytomediumbrownsides,andrangeinsizefrom⅝to¾inchesinlength.ThebodyisV‐shapedincrosssection.L.phyllopushasawhitetopaleyellowstraightbroadbandacrossthewingcovers(Fig2).WhileL.opposituslackstheband,smallwhitespotsmayappearonsomeindividuals(Fig1).Bothofthesespecieswillexudeafoulsmellingliquidifdisturbed.

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Fig.3.Leaf‐footedbugeggmass. Theeggsareagoldenbrownandarelaidinasinglerowalongastemorleafmidrib(Fig.3).Theyaresomewhatcylindrical,flattenedontheundersidesandattheends,andarelaidcloselyend‐to‐end.Thenymphshaveblacklegswhiletheirbodiesrangeincolorfromorangetoreddishbrown(Fig.4).Theyhave5instarsindevelopment.Theleaf‐likehindtibiadoesnotdevelopuntilthelatterinstarsatwhichtimetheyalsodeveloptheiradultcoloration.

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Fig.4.Leaf‐footedbugnymphsoncorn.DistributionandLifeCycle:BothL.oppositesandL.phyllopusarecommonintheeasternandsoutheasternstates,andwillextendasfarnorthasNewYorkandasfarwestasMissouri.Thereareseveralgenerationsperyear.Theadultsoverwinterinthewoodsorinleafdebris,emerginginlatespringtofeedonvariousweedhosts.Theylayeggs,whichhatchin5‐7days.Leaf‐footedbugnymphshavecommonlybeenfoundonthistle,Cirsiumspp.,orothersucculentplants.InVirginia,thenymphshavebeenobservedonnightshade,Atropaspp.,corn,andtrees.Thenymphsusuallyrequire25‐30daystomature.Damage:Leptoglossusspeciesfeedonfoliartissueandfruitbypiercingtheselectedplanttissuewiththeirproboscisandsuckingthejuices.Thesalivaofleaf‐footedbugscontainsatoxicsecretion,whichfurtherinjuresplanttissue.Theymaycausewiltinganddeathofleavesanddeformationandlossoffruit.Feedingonfruitwithpiercing‐suckingmouthpartscausespitting,distortionanddiscoloration.Puncturingoffruitalsoallowssecondarypathogenstoenterandcauserotting.Someofthecropswhichmaybeaffectedarecitrusfruits,pecans,apple,beans,bellpepper,blueberry,blackberry,corn,cucurbits,eggplant,peach,pear,plum,squash,andtomatoamongothers.Althoughleaf‐footedbugsfeedonalargenumberoffruitsandcropplants,theyareseldomconsideredamajorpestinthesoutheastbecauseofnormallylowconcentrationsofinsects.Howeveronoccasion,theseinsectswillmigrateinmasstoimmaturecropsorfruitsandcausesignificantdamage.Theyalsodisplayahabitofaggregatingintolargecolonies,whichwillresultinhugenumbersononetreewhilenonemayappearontheadjoiningtree.

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Fig.5.Leaf‐footedbugfeedinginjurytotomato.

Fig.6.Leaf‐footedbugfeedinginjurytoblueberry.Photos by Jerry A. Payne, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org.

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ManagementChemicalcontrol:Insecticidesshouldtargetthenymphandadultstages.Veryfewinsecticideswillkilltheeggsofthispest.Formostfruitandvegetablecrops,awiderangeofinsecticidesprovidecontrolincludingpyrethroids(i.e.,cyfluthin,bifenthrin,lambda‐cyhalothrin,cypermethrin,permethrin,esfenvalerate,etc.),carbamates(carbaryl,methomyl,oxamyl),organophosphates(suchasacephate),andneonicotinoids(i.e.,imidacloprid,thiamethoxam,dinotefuran,acetamiprid,andclothianidin).Additionally,anumberofinsecticideproductsareavailableasmixturesofsomeofthesedifferentmaterials.Culturalcontrol:Mowingweedsandmaintainingvegetationinandaroundfieldsanddestroyingcropdebriswillhelpreduceleaf‐footedbugnymphalsurvivalaswellasreduceoverwinteringsitesforadults.Inhomegardensettings,theinsectsandeggmassescanberemovedmanuallyanddestroyed.Biologicalcontrol:Comparedwithsoft‐bodiedpestssuchasaphidsandcaterpillars,relativelyfewnaturalenemiesattackthisbug.However,adultleaf‐footedbugsareparasitizedbycertaintachinidfliessuchasTrichopodapennipes(Fabricus),T.plumipes(Fabricus).ReferencesCapinera,J.L.2001.HandbookofVegetablePests.AcademicPress,NewYork.Mead,F.W.(2010,August)Featuredcreatures,Circular107.EENY‐72.RetrievedNov.3,2010fromhttp://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/leaffooted‐bug.htm