Japanese Beetles Pt 1

Japanese Beetles Pt 1

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today’s Fruit Grower Report, I’m Bob Larson. First, we’re on the lookout for Asian Giant Hornets, and now the Washington Department of Agriculture is asking folks in Central Washington to keep an eye out for Japanese beetles.

The Ag Department’s Karla Salp says last year just three confirmed Japanese beetles were found in Grandview, but in just the past week, the findings have soared …

SALP … “We did have a tip early this spring from a resident who reported having dozens of beetles on her roses last summer. So, we had prepared to go ahead and trap fairly extensively in the Grandview area, and those traps are indeed yielding hundreds if not thousands, at this point, of Japanese beetles.”

Salp says the beetles can do a lot of damage …

SALP … “It’s a pretty significant pest for about 300 different types of plants, including some of our top crops here in Washington.”

Fruits and flowers, Salp says are the beetle’s favorites …

SALP … “In Grandview, where we’re finding them in significant numbers, some of the crops around here are obviously grapes, hops, cherries. Those are all preferred hosts for Japanese beetles.”

The search area, Salp says is fairly narrow at this point …

SALP … “It looks like, right now, the population is primarily within the city limits of Grandview, but we are getting some detection in lower numbers out in the rural areas. So, it’s a very significant pest and we’re taking it extremely serious and hoping to eradicate it.”

Tune in tomorrow for more on the search for the Japanese beetle.

Salp says they have a website dedicated to the Japanese beetle. It’s www.agr.wa.gov/beetle and that will take you right to the page with information about Japanese beetles in Washington state.

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