Japanese+Beetle+-+2

Japanese Beetle Science Name: //Popillia japonica// (Newman), Scarabaeidae, COLEOPTERA

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__**General Information:**__ **DESCRIPTION** ** Adult **  - Is shiny, metallic green beetle has copper colored brown wings covering and it’s about 13 mm long. ** Egg ** - Its white and cream colored egg is round and about 1.5 mm in length when first laid. By the time it hatches, the egg has doubled its original size. ** Larva ** – its grayish white and slightly curled. It has a dark brown head and measures about 16 mm long when mature. It can be distinguished from other white grubs by two rows of spines which form a "V" on the underside of its last abdominal segment. ======

** Pupa **
- The cream colored, about 13 mm long and 6 mm wide, eventually turns light brown and finally develops a metallic green cast. **(1)** = **__Detailed Description and Habitat:__** = **BIOLOGY** **Distribution** – The Japanese beetle was first reported in North America in 1916, the Japanese beetle now occurs in over 20 states from southern Maine southward into Georgia and westward into Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri. They occur statewide in North Carolina with heaviest infestations in the central Piedmont and mountains. (1) (2) =** __Impacts:__ **= Damage - Companionable in nature, Japanese beetle adults are, mostly found feeding in masses on a few plants, leaving others nearby un-infested. On most hosts, leaves are skeletonized and the full-grown fruit is damaged. However, injury to corn may occur when the beetles feed very heavily on the silks and ear tips thereby reducing pollination and predisposing the ear to other insects and fungi. However, heavy feeding does not necessarily influence pollination and adult injury of this magnitude is rare. (1) In gardens these beetles dont have as much affect like other invasive species. If you have corn in your garden it will affect the growth of that plant because these Japanese beetles eat the corn. = __Life History__ =
 * Host Plants ** – Many adult Japanese beetles swarm over 275 different plants, including corn. Also shade and fruit trees, small fruits, garden crops, weeds, and field crops are often damaged by these Japanese beetles. The grubs are serious annoyance of lawns, other grasses, and nursery stock.

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The grubs over winter in cells within 13 cm of the soil surface. In the spring, they move up, almost to ground level, where the complete feeding and pupate. The three larval instars complete development in about 140 days. Adults appear as early as mid-May in eastern North Carolina and as late as July in New England. Throughout the summer, they attack the fruit and foliage of many plants, including the silks of corn. In North Carolina, peak emergence occurs during July. Soon after emerging, females deposit 40 to 60 eggs in small batches 5 to 8 cm deep in the ground. Under extremely dry conditions, many eggs and larvae perish. However, during warm wet summers, populations thrive and eggs hatch about 2 weeks after deposition. The newly emerged larvae feed until cold weather forces them into hibernation. Only one generation occurs each year. (1) ====== = __CONTROL__ = "Milky" spore disease and several parasites often attack beetle grubs and thereby keep Japanese beetle adult populations below economically damaging levels. Field tests in Virginia have shown that much Japanese beetle damage can be avoided by planting corn so that it silks before July 20 or after August 1. In field crop situations where insecticides are applied to control other insect pests, Japanese beetles are rarely a problem. Some plants in border rows may appear heavily infested due to the tendency of these beetles to congregate. Should high populations develop, consult the current (2 pgh. 8) References:http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2504.html http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2001.html