Sweetpotato Bug

Natural history and identification

This brown, orange-edged plant bug has enlarged hind legs and piercing-sucking mouthparts. It can occur in conspicuous groups, including on plants it does not feed on. Females guard egg masses deposited on surfaces such as leaf undersides. Plant wilting or discoloration can accompany feeding, but an aggregation alone does not demonstrate that the occupied plant is a host.

Kauaʻi occurrence and evidence

Atlas occurrence category: Present. The Kauaʻi record is classified as “Present”. Its cited evidence source is Matsunaga et al. 2019 alien arthropod update.

Account coverage

Published species details have been added. A complete Kauaʻi-specific account of identification, habitat, feeding, reproduction, and population trend is not yet established by the sources linked here.

Names and classification

Scientific name

Physomerus grossipes

Common names

Sweetpotato Bug

Family

Coreidae

Order

Hemiptera

Record type

species

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence

Present

Origin

Introduced

Conservation status

Not assessed

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal description

Sweetpotato Bug (Physomerus grossipes) belongs to Coreidae in the order Hemiptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.

Sources and further reading

• Matsunaga et al. 2019 alien arthropod update
• Natural history and identification — species source