“We have no idea what the long-term impact on kudzu will be, but we also have to consider the fact that it feeds on crops, too,” he said. “It’s kind of a double-edged sword. It eats kudzu, which is good, but it also stinks and gets on homes. And the ominous threat is that it eats soybeans and other legume crops.

“We will be working with the University of Georgia and USDA to find the best way of dealing with this insect,” says Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin. “At this time, there is not enough information to determine its current range and what its potential as a pest may be.”

Representatives of each agency have met to form an action plan. Information has been sent to Extension agents and pest control companies across the state.

County agents are asked to look for the bug, scout kudzu patches and report any findings to Suiter. Homeowners who find the pest should call their local Extension office at 1-800-ASK-UGA1.

“We’re still trying to get a handle on what its distribution is in the state,” Suiter says.

How to control the pest in Georgia is a mystery that scientists will have to solve, Eger says. In India and China, manually removing them is the most common way.

“Kudzu is its preferred host. So, it might be helpful by controlling kudzu,” Eger says. “It is a significant pest of soybeans and other types of beans in its native countries. My guess is that it has the potential to be an important pest of all types of beans.