The eastern leaf-footed bug is a common, minor, garden and agricultural pest. A variety of species of leaf-footed bugs can be found in a wide range from the southern United States to as far South as Panama. This family of bugs feeds on plants with their sap sucking mouth parts, often damaging the fruits and nuts of the host plant. Citrus fruits here in Georgia, and even more commonly Florida, are known to attract the eastern leaf-footed bug in particular.
This photograph was taken on one of our catalpa trees. This individual bug was on one of the many bean like seed pods. Each seed pod had its own attacker, seemingly claiming the pod for his own. I doubt the bugs will damage the seeds ability to germinate, and the seeds aren't edible, so they can dine on catalpa pods for now... But they'll also happily feast on peaches and black eyed peas and all sorts of other edible things common here in the South, some of which we may grow in the future. Just one more reason we need some chickens.
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