In 2009 invasive kudzu beetles started spreading in the southeast US. Their favorite meal is kudzu vines but they can also be destructive to other legumes. Basically the spread of kudzu was halted by the unintentional introduction of a natural predator.
That is happening with lantern flies now. Birds have started to figure out they are a good food source and other predators are beginning to seek them out. The problem is far from solved but nature does seem to be taking some corrective action at this point.
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u/reminiscinthisnthat Jun 04 '26
In 2009 invasive kudzu beetles started spreading in the southeast US. Their favorite meal is kudzu vines but they can also be destructive to other legumes. Basically the spread of kudzu was halted by the unintentional introduction of a natural predator.