Transferring and Appropritaing from Street Department for 1955

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THE JAPANESE BEETLE The Japanese beetle was first found in the United States in 1916 in New Jersey and since that time has built up to the point where it is probably the major insect pest in the eastern part of the United States. There are infestations in other states in the east, but the Japanese beetle was never reported west of Columbus,Ohio until 1934, when it was found in Indianapolis,Indiana and in St.Louis,Missouri. The Japanese beetle is related to the Jame beetle group, and its life history is rather similar to that of the June beetle in that the grub or larva spends all of its existence under the ground feeding on the roots of grasses and other plants..The Japanese beetle has been particularly destmotive due to the fact that the life cycle covers only a one -year period and has few natural enemies in this country to retard its increase. Consequently it builds up to extremely large numbers in a relatively short time. The grub feeds on the roots of grasses, destroying lawns as well as other plants,,and the beetle feeds on a great variety of above- ground vegetation, ranging from field crops to fruit and shade trees, shrubs and flowers. One of the best means of controlling the Japanese beetle is an application of granular dieldrin to the soil which poisons the grub while feeding on the roots of its food plants. The applica- tion as generally applied consists of 3 pounds of actual dieldrin to the acre, and this treatment. lasts.._for several years. The treat- ment is beneficial not only in the control of the apanese beetle, but also in the control of other lawn insects, such as sod web - worms, June beetles, etc., and is generally recommended for lawns in areas where there is no infestation of Japanese beetles. The application of this material is not injurious to the grass, shrubbery or other plants and trees growing in the area. It is poisonous, however, by applying the material in a granular form the danger of adherence to the foliage and consequent ingestion by foraging animals is reduced to a. minimum. Feeding animals should be kept off of treated areas for 21 days or until 2 inches of rain has fallen prior to the termination of this period. The material, in the case of lawns that have been treated, can be washed into the soil with the hose or lawn sprink- ler. The United States Department of Agriculture is aiding in the treat- ment of these isolated infestations, knowing that this material will materi-ally hold the Japanese beetle in check.