Japanese Beetle

Description:

The Japanese beetle is native to Japan and was likely introduced to eastern North America through a shipment of iris bulbs in the early 1900s. In recent weeks (August 2012), it has been detected in Idaho & North Dakota. It is considered to be a serious pest because it has few natural enemies in North America to control populations. There are two introduced biological control agents, the tiphid wasp (Tiphia vernalis) and tachinid fly (Istocheta aldrichi), but these have not proven effective to control infestations. Japanese beetle larvae live in soil and feed on the roots of grass and also crop plants such as corn, strawberries and beans. Adult Japanese beetles damage plants by skeletonizing the foliage of over 300 species of trees, shrubs and ornamental plants including maples, elms, roses, raspberries and grapes.

Habitat:

Native to Asia; Eastern North America, moving westward. A variety of habitats including large grassy areas, orchards, gardens and fields.

Notes:

Observed on Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum). The most serious pest species observed, although populations were low on the Shasta daisies compared to surrounding plants such as rose, Virginia creeper and red raspberry. Management of Japanese beetles: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/managing_ja...