–by Dr. Jeff Whitworth and Dr. Holly Schwarting
Getting numerous calls about “little black and/or red” bugs all over soybean plants from just about all over the state. Everything we have checked out so far indicates burrowing bugs. The adults are shiny black, and outlined with a small white line. They nymphs (immatures) are even smaller, shiny black with patches of red. They are common feeding on and around the base of many weed species, especially henbit. When these weeds are sprayed with an herbicide, and therefore are no longer a source of food, the bugs move to the closest succulent vegetation, which are the soybean or sorghum plants near their original source of food, the weeds. They can aggregate on a few plants, and in a few areas, by the hundreds and/or thousands and this is always a cause for concern. However, these bugs will soon disperse and will not impact the crop.
