- Individual Japanese beetles found in Baden-Württemberg
For the first time this year, live Japanese beetles have been discovered in Baden-Württemberg. Individual male specimens were trapped in the plant protection service's traps in Freiburg and the Ludwigsburg district, as announced by the Agricultural Technology Centre Augustenberg (LTZ) in Karlsruhe.
The Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica), originating from Asia, is classified as a pest in the European Union, capable of causing significant damage. They feed on a wide range of plants, including fruit orchards, vineyards, forests, gardens, and green spaces, leaving them bare. There are no natural predators of this species in this region.
Experts at LTZ have been concerned for some time. A larger colony of Japanese beetles was discovered in Switzerland near the border a few weeks ago.
However, the recent individual findings in Baden-Württemberg, further from the border, have not triggered any special protective measures, according to LTZ plant health expert Frauke Rinke. Since 2021, there have been individual findings each year, with the insects likely being introduced via trucks. This is also the suspected cause this time. The plant protection service has increased the number of traps in the affected areas to ensure that these are indeed isolated findings.
The Japanese beetle is about one centimeter long, with a metallic green head and brown wings. It is distinctive for having five white tufts of hair on each side of its abdomen and two white tufts at the end.
Germany has not reported a significant Japanese beetle infestation yet, but the discovery of individual beetles in Baden-Württemberg is a cause for concern. If unchecked, these beetles, originating from Asia, could pose a threat to various plants in German forests, gardens, and green spaces, similar to their impact in other European countries.
