May destroy entire harvests: federal government warns of Japanese beetles

class=”sc-29f61514-0 fQbOYE”>

About 10-12 mm long, voracious and invasive: the Japanese beetle. It poses a great danger to farmers because in its frenzy the Asian beetle can quickly destroy the entire harvest. This is why the Federal Department of Agriculture (FOAG) is now warning of its spread.

Because the insect can be transported as stowaways over long distances, travelers are asked to be on the lookout for insects and to check for insects in their luggage and cars while traveling. This is especially true for those traveling to Ticino. Because the bug has been spreading there since 2017. According to FOAG, 625,606 insects were caught in the canton in 2022.

How do you recognize the insect?

Insects are active until the beginning of September. Until then, the risk of procrastination also applies. The beetles, about the size of a coin of about five cents, can be recognized by small tufts of hair. They are located on both sides of the abdomen. The head of the insect is green, the back is brown.

If you see an insect, catch it and examine it for tufts of hair. Under no circumstances should the insect be released again. Instead, FOAG recommends freezing the insect and documenting the location and time of the find. The information must be sent to the plant protection service of the respective canton along with a photograph. (woman)

Source : Blick