Invasive Species - The Japanese beetle is getting closer to Germany
Following further discoveries of the voracious Japanese beetle in Switzerland near the German border, the neighboring district of Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, has expanded its protective measures. The findings have recently come so close to the border that the district now, for the first time in Germany, has established a quarantine zone, as the Landwirtschaftliche Technologiezentrum Augustenberg (LTZ) in Karlsruhe announced.
The quarantine zone encompasses areas with a radius of 1000 meters around the spots where the beetles were found on the Swiss side, according to the Lörrach district office. It takes effect starting on Wednesday.
In Germany itself, there have been no beetle findings this year, the LTZ reported. In previous years, individual beetles had been recorded, LTZ plant health expert Frauke Rinke said. However, these were likely to have come with goods from infested areas and not immigrated.
In Basel, 77 beetles have been captured so far, most of them at the first discovery site, Rinke added. To protect against the pest, only plant and soil material can be transported out of the quarantine zones under strict conditions, to prevent further spread of the beetle. Slightly less stringent rules apply in a buffer zone at least five kilometers wide.
Natural counterparts are lacking
The Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica), which originates from Asia, is classified as a pest in the European Union due to the significant damage it can cause. The insects attack orchards, vineyards, forests, lawns, and gardens, and feed on over 300 plant species. Natural enemies of this species do not exist in this region.
To prevent settlement in Germany, people are encouraged to report suspicious beetle findings to the respective plant protection services in their federal states.
The Japanese beetle is only about one centimeter long, has a metallic-glossy green head and brown wings. Distinctive features are five white tufts on each abdominal side and two white tufts at the end of the abdomen.
- The voracious Japanese beetle, which is a significant pest in the European Union, has been a concern for neighboring countries like Germany, particularly in the district of Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg, due to its proximity to infested areas in Switzerland.
- As a preventive measure, the Landwirtschaftliche Technologiezentrum Augustenberg (LTZ) in Karlsruhe announced that Germany, for the first time, has established a quarantine zone in Lörrach to contain the spread of the Japanese beetle.
- In the quest for solutions, scientists at German universities, such as those in Karlsruhe, are actively researching potential countermeasures to control the Japanese beetle, as natural enemies of this species do not exist in the affected regions.
- The discovery of the Japanese beetle in Switzerland has highlighted the importance of cooperation between neighboring countries, like Germany and Switzerland, in dealing with agricultural pests such as the Japanese beetle to preserve and protect their agricultural industries.
- Recognizing the importance of agriculture in both countries, Germany and Switzerland have shared information and resources to develop effective strategies for controlling and managing the Japanese beetle, aiming to sustain their agricultural industries and maintain the health of their ecosystems.
