Leaf-Footed Pine Seed Bug: Appearance, Territory, Damage and Life

Latin Name: Leptoglossus Corculus

Appearances: Adult leaf footed bugs have brown hind legs with a flattened, leaf-shaped region. Both nymphs and adults are pests that wreak havoc on buds, flowers, fruits, and seeds. Leaf-footed bugs range in size from 1/2 to 3/4 inch in length, with the eastern leaf-footed bug, Leptoglossus phyllopus, having a distinct white line across the back of its wings. Eastern leaf-footed nymphs are similar to adults except that they are smaller and lack wings. The bodies of juvenile nymphs are red.

Host Plants: Cones of loblolly, slash, shortleaf, Virginia, eastern white, pitch, and Table Mountain pines, as well as cones of some spruce, are regularly attacked by the leaffooted pine seed beetle.

Territory: In the southern United States, there are numerous generations per year.

Damage Caused: The leaf footed pine seed bug, Leptoglossus corculus (Say), is a sucking insect that damages cones in southern pine seed orchards. Adults and nymphs both ate seeds from diverse pine cones, drastically limiting viable seed production.

Life Cycle and habits: Leaf footed bugs go through three stages of development: egg, nymph, and adult. Adults hibernate over the winter and emerge in the spring to deposit eggs on host plants. Figure 5 shows how eggs are placed in chains, and there are five nymphal or instar phases.

Nymphs go through five stages before reaching adulthood in late August. Adults and older nymphs eat maturing fir seeds until they overwinter. Adults spend the winter in fissures in the bark of trees, dead trees, bird or animal nests, or homes. Late May or early June is when the adults appear.

Leaffooted bugs are medium to big insects that eat fruits, fruiting vegetables, nuts, and flowers. They have piercing-sucking mouthparts that enable them to eat plant parts, especially seeds.

In a typical garden, a dozen or more sunflower plants are plenty. Adults are drawn to sunflowers, where they will lay their eggs and create nymphs. However, before the nymphs grow and travel to your vegetables, spray the bugs on the sunflowers.

They have the ability to fly, yet they prefer to walk on windows and walls. Although their great size and slow flying around the house can be surprising, they do not harm houseplants or bite humans. Leaf-footed bugs do not need to be controlled. Because of their slowed metabolism, they are easier to catch.