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Five male Japanese beetles may be the last of an infestation in central Orem area after a three-year spraying offensive killed off thousands of the pests.
Unless a female is found among the survivors, spraying will not be resumed near 800 W. Center St. and 150 N. 600 West, where four male beetles were trapped earlier this month and an additional male was found on Aug. 10, said Clint Burfitt, project director of the state spraying program.
"The beetles were trapped about 1,000 feet from a treated area. So, unless we find females, we're considering these few males hitchhikers to this area," he said. Agriculture officials will continue trapping beetles through October to determine whether more treatments are required next year.
In addition, a single Japanese beetle was found this month in nursery stock in Salt Lake County. State officials have set up traps in an area around 3900 South and 900 East but have not found any other insects.
Since the spraying began in Orem, declines in the number of the destructive insect have been dramatic. About 100 beetles were collected last year in insect traps, representing a 95 percent decline in catches from the year before.
The amount of acreage prayed with the insecticide Acelypryn also has shrunk.
When spraying first started in 2007, the state treated 500 acres of trees, shrubs and lawns. Last year 250 acres were sprayed; this year's total is 100 acres, said Larry Lewis, spokesman for
Japanese beetles pose a threat to Utah's $150 million agriculture and nursery industry, said Lewis. Adults can attack more than 300 species of plants, including trees, ornamental shrubs, vines, fruits, flowers, vegetables, gardens and field crops. Larvae also are serious pests of lawns, other grasses and nursery stock.
About $400,000 from a state reserve insect-eradication fund was spent to kill off the infestation in Utah County.
Japanese beetles are among a variety of pests agriculture officials monitor.
Last year, the state set nearly 7,000 insect traps to keep track of apple maggots, corn borers, Mormon crickets and other pests that could damage the state's agricultural industries, valued at $1 billion dollars annually.
More than 100,000 insect specimens were collected and identified.
In June 2008, state agriculture officials also monitored the importation of grass sod destined for Real Salt Lake's new Sandy soccer stadium to guard against an accidental transmission of Japanese beetles.
Real Salt Lake had purchased more than 100,000 square feet of specially developed turf from Graff's Turf Farm, based in Colorado -- one of several states with a beetle infestation.
No beetles were detected in the turf.
Japanese beetles found in Orem in August 2006 are nearly eradicated.
The insect is about a half-inch long and has a metallic-green body with metallic-dark-tan wings.
A key characteristic is two small patches of short white hair on the beetle's posterior, with five white hair tufts along each side of its abdomen.
During the winter, grubs live a few inches down into the ground, then emerge as adults in late June or July to feed on a range of plants, from flowers to foliage to fruits.
For information, visit www.ag.utah.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
