Image: Olaf Zimmermann/LTZ Augustenberg/dpa
The Japanese beetle was introduced to Ticino just a few years ago. However, because the invasive species can cause enormous damage and is apparently establishing itself, the southern canton is now harnessing the population.
For the first time the Japankäfer (Popillia japonica) caught four years ago on the southern border with Switzerland. Because the insect appears to be taking hold, Ticino launched a campaign this week to raise public awareness of the danger posed by the beetle. The animals can cause enormous damage, which is why the species is considered a “quarantine organism” in both Switzerland and the EU.
The canton of Ticino announced on Tuesday that the Japanese beetle is subject to reporting requirements because of the major damage it causes to agriculture and public parks. Accordingly, the instructions of the cantonal plant protection service to combat it must be followed.
White tufts of hair on the side
The problem: The Japanese beetle is not easy for laypeople to distinguish from the native garden chafer. It is mainly white tufts of hair on the side and the last abdominal segment that characterize it, writes the Swiss Competence Center for Agricultural Research Agroscope. Adult animals reach a length of around 1 centimeter and a width of 0.5 centimeters.
The grubs of the species prefer to feed on grass roots and meadows and lawns. The beetles themselves eat hundreds of different plants, including vines, apple trees, and roses.
Anyone who discovers suspicious beetles or corresponding larvae is encouraged to contact the plant protection service throughout Switzerland. In Ticino, the population should keep suspicious animals in a closed container so that the authorities can inspect the animals, it said.
In order to combat the Japanese beetle effectively, you have to recognize it early enough – once the animal has established itself, it is too late. Scent traps are currently being set up to monitor the situation. Insecticides against the pest are not approved in Switzerland – but biological control methods are promising.
Detected for the first time near Milan in 2014
Agroscope reports that the insect from the scarab beetle family was first introduced to the USA at the beginning of the 20th century. Unlike in Japan, it causes major damage there. In the 1970s, the beetle was first found in Europe, more precisely in the Azores. In 2014 he was found near Milan and three years later for the first time on the Swiss border.
In the summer of 2020, according to Agroscope, an infestation was found in the Mendrisiotto for the first time. The beetle has also been detected in large parts of the Scottoceneri. Agroscope reports that it has not yet been possible to “eradicate the beetle, despite strong efforts”.