Leaffooted Bug Facts & Information
Protect your home or business from leaffooted bugs by learning techniques for identification and control.
Treatment
How do I get rid of leaffooted bugs?
What You Can Do
Many homeowners use a vacuum to remove them from the living space.
Prevention
Preventing leaf-footed bugs from invading the home starts with an inspection.
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Check the exterior of the home to find any openings that the bugs could use to get inside.
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Make sure exterior doors close tightly.
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Replace weather stripping that is missing or damaged.
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Check the screens on windows, attic vents, and crawlspace vents.
What Orkin Does
An insecticide application outside on the foundation and around doors and windows can help prevent these bugs from coming into the home. Because of moisture and temperature, the barrier should be reapplied periodically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Behavior, Diet & Habits
Understanding Leaffooted Bugs
Appearance
There are a large number of insects in this group. Leaf footed bugs (sometimes called squash bugs) get their common name from the leaf-like looking structure located on the insect’s hind legs.
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Length: Some species can be as large as 2.5 cm long.
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Color: They are usually dark brown to black. Some have pale markings.
Leaffooted Bugs vs. Kissing Bugs
Confusion about non-biting leaf-footed bugs and biting kissing bugs exists among many homeowners who often mistakenly confuse leaf-footed bugs for the medically important kissing bugs. To avoid confusion, simply remember that kissing bugs DO NOT have the leaf shaped structure on their hind legs.
Reproduction
The adults lay eggs on leaves. The immature insects and the adults suck the juice from the leaves. In warm areas of the country, there are two or three generations of these bugs per year.