{"id":1191,"date":"2026-06-05T15:43:48","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T19:43:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/?p=1191"},"modified":"2026-06-05T15:43:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T19:43:48","slug":"new-invasive-insect-found-in-georgia-brown-winged-planthopper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/2026\/06\/new-invasive-insect-found-in-georgia-brown-winged-planthopper\/","title":{"rendered":"New Invasive Insect Found in Georgia: Brown Winged Planthopper"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A newly detected invasive insect in Georgia is raising concerns among agricultural officials and plant professionals due to its potential to damage a wide range of ornamental and fruit-producing plants. The Brown Winged Planthopper (Pochazia shantungensis<\/em>), a species native to China, has recently been confirmed in Georgia and is now being monitored by researchers and regulatory agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The insect has already established itself in several countries outside its native range, including France, Italy, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and T\u00fcrkiye. In South Korea, the Brown Winged Planthopper has been reported as a damaging pest of fruit trees. While its full impact in Georgia is not yet known, experts are encouraging increased awareness and monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the reasons this insect is of concern is its extremely broad host range. Researchers have documented the Brown Winged Planthopper on more than 200 plant species representing 81 plant families. Preferred hosts include fruit trees such as apples and peaches, as well as many woody ornamental plants commonly found in landscapes and nurseries. Shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants may also serve as hosts during various stages of the insect’s life cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Brown Winged Planthopper damages plants in several ways. Both nymphs and adults feed by sucking sap from plant tissues. Female insects also cause injury when they insert eggs into young branches and stems. In addition, the insects produce honeydew, a sugary waste material that can lead to the development of black sooty mold on leaves and stems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adult planthoppers are generally brown to dark brown and measure about 8 millimeters long, though their total length including the wings is closer to 12 to 14 millimeters. The forewings have a wingspan of approximately 30 millimeters and feature a distinctive white spot near the outer edge. The immature stages, known as nymphs, are typically white and covered with a waxy coating. Many nymphs possess a noticeable wax tail, and older nymphs display brown patches and a characteristic pattern of spots on their backs. Eggs are laid deep within plant tissue in a distinctive herringbone pattern. The egg masses are often covered with plant material and white waxy deposits, making them difficult to detect without careful inspection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because the potential impact of this pest in Georgia is still being evaluated, state officials are asking growers, landscapers, and homeowners to remain vigilant. Suspected sightings can be reported to the Georgia Department of Agriculture by emailing photographs to pestid@agr.georgia.gov<\/a> or by contacting a local University of Georgia Extension office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Early detection and reporting will be important in helping researchers and regulatory officials better understand the distribution and potential impact of this newly introduced insect pest. For more information, visit https:\/\/site.caes.uga.edu\/entomologyresearch\/2026\/06\/invasive-brown-winged-planthopper-poses-risk-to-nursery-and-landscape-plants\/<\/a> or https:\/\/13f99c70-3dd7-4c6c-b299-075154d6b9ed.usrfiles.com\/ugd\/13f99c_714418b4547447f398236d7c11c2d7fb.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A newly detected invasive insect in Georgia is raising concerns among agricultural officials and plant professionals due to its potential to damage a wide range of ornamental and fruit-producing plants. The Brown Winged Planthopper (Pochazia shantungensis), a species native to China, has recently been confirmed in Georgia and is now being monitored by researchers and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":490,"featured_media":1194,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,36,60],"tags":[62],"class_list":["post-1191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agriculture","category-gardening","category-insects","tag-insects"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/490"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1191"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1191\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1195,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1191\/revisions\/1195"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.extension.uga.edu\/madison\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}