Agriculture under threat: Japanese beetles on the rise; community called upon to assist
The state of Rhineland-Palatinate has taken a proactive step to protect local agriculture and wine and fruit growing from the Japanese beetle. The pest, classified as a quarantine pest by the LLH, has recently been discovered near the state border in the Hessian area of Trebur in the district of Groß-Gerau.
The Japanese beetle, about one centimeter long, has a metallic, glossy green head, brown wings, and five white hair tufts on its abdomen. This pest can infest more than 400 plant species, causing severe damage to meadows, lawns, ornamental plants, and wine and fruit crops.
To prevent the spread of the Japanese beetle, an ordinance will come into effect on Tuesday, 2 September. The ordinance includes special measures currently in effect in Mainz and the Verbandsgemeinde of Bodenheim.
Removal of topsoil up to 30 centimeters deep from the buffer zone is prohibited year-round. From 1 June to 30 September, there is a general ban on removing plant material from the buffer zone, including untreated plant remains.
Businesses working with plants in the buffer zone are required to monitor their production plots and plant stocks, as well as their surroundings within a radius of 100 meters. Transport of plants with soil from the buffer zone is only permitted under certain conditions.
The state's Minister of Agriculture and Wine, Daniela Schmitt (FDP), has stated the need to protect local agriculture and wine and fruit growing from the Japanese beetle. Currently, there are no sightings of the Japanese beetle in Rhineland-Palatinate, but this could change quickly.
The population is asked to help by reporting any sightings of the Japanese beetle to the Plant Protection Service of the LLH. Public cooperation is crucial in capturing suspicious beetles to prevent the spread of this pest and protect local agriculture.
