The+Japanese+Beetle

Figure 1: The Japanese beetle, //Popillia Japonica//  Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Coleoptera Family: Scaridibae Genus: //Popillia// Species: //P. japonica//
 * //Popillia japonica //**
 * Taxonomy: **

 Despite its beautiful appearance, the Japanese beetle is a very unwelcome species in America. As its name suggests, this beetle is native to Japan, and it is believed that it arrived in America by hitchhiking onto aircrafts. It was first discovered in America in New Jersey around 1916 while inspecting a plant nursery. Since then it has spread across the country in great numbers. A major pest, both the larvae and adult stages of this insect are very destructive to all sorts of plants.

 Like most insects, adult Japanese beetles are capable of flight. While it has 2 pairs of wings, only 1 pair is actually used for flying. The second pair instead has been modified into cases called elytra, which cover the other wings when the beetle is not in flight. These elytra are very tough and rigid, providing the beetle with extra protection. The Japanese beetle also has clubbed antennae, a trait common in all members of the family Scaribidae. It is also rather beautiful; the head is metallic green in color, while the elytra are a reddish-brown. The rest of the body has a ring of white spots on the edges. They tend to be small, generally less than half an inch long.
 * Physical Description: **

The younger stages of the Japanese beetle are very different. Like butterflies, beetles undergo complete metamorphosis, which means they start life in a worm-like larval form. This larval form will eventually turn into an immobile, cocooned form called a pupa. The adult develops in this pupa, eventually emerging fully grown. Figure 2: A larvae of the Japanese beetle.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Japanese beetles feed on a wide variety of plants, including leaves, flowers, grasses, and fruits. Adults are believed to feed on over 300 species of plants across America. The beetles often feed in groups, quickly destroying whatever plants they find. They are known for skeletonizing leaves, a term used to describe when leaves are drained of much of their green color. Larvae, which live underground, instead feed on the roots of grasses. Dead patches of grass may be a sign that there are several Japanese beetle larvae in the area. Luckily, Japanese beetle generations seem to be yearly, as they tend to emerge around the same time every year. This allows for people to prepare better for prime beetle months, mainly June and July. Insecticides are often used in the soil to try to kill off larvae in golf courses. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Figure 3: A group of Japanese beetles feeding.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Ecology: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">When mating, male Japanese beetles seek out females. Like many beetles, they tend to mount the female during mating, often staying mounted hours after the actual mating has ended. The female burrows into the soil and lays her eggs underground, where they feed on roots until they are matured enough to pupate and emerge from the ground as adults. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Figure 4: 2 Japanese beetles mating.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Japanese beetles are considered a major pest species. Like many invasive species, America’s climate was extremely beneficial, allowing them to populate at an alarming rate. Now they cause widespread damage of foliage and crops. They cause hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of damage nationwide every year. The larvae are also quite destructive, causing damage to turf fields, lawns, and golf courses. The crop damage they cause is obviously a big problem in Vermont, where agriculture is a very important part of the economy. The damage to ornamental plants can also cause problems for nursery businesses, as well as just become frustrating for gardeners.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Impact on Humans: **

References Barrows, E. M., and G. Gordh. 1978. Sexual behavior in the Japanese beetle, //Popillia japonica//, and comparative notes on sexual behavior of other scarabs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Behavioral Biology, 23:341-354.

Miller, F., S. Jerdan, and G. Ware. 1999. Feeding preference of adult Japanese beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) for Asian elm species and their hybrids. Journal of Economic Entomology, 92:421-426.

Petty, B. M., D. T. Johnson, and D. C. Steinkraus. 2012. Survey of pathogens and parasitoids of //Popillia japonica// (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in northwest Arkansas. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 111:56-59.

Potter, D. A., and D. W. Held. 2002. Biology and management of the Japanese beetle. Annual Review of Entomology, 47:175-205.

Power, K. T., R. An, and P. S. Grewal. 2009. Effectiveness of //Heterohabditis bacteriophora// strain GPS11 applications targeted against different instars of the Japanese beetle //Popillia japonica. Biological Control, 48:232-236.// Figure 1: []

Figure 2: [|http://www.inspection.gc.ca/DAM/DAM-plants-vegetaux/STAGING/images-images] [|/pestrava_popjap_factsheet_image2_1328050011458_eng.jpg]

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