If you notice grub damage this time of year, take a closer look and try to find the larvae in the soil. Once established these insects may require some special attention going forward as they tend to be more damaging and somewhat less vulnerable to traditional insecticide treatments. Homeowners often find themselves bewildered by the speed and extent of the destruction which may ensue. The biggest problem causing the most visual damage is the fact that crows, skunks, and raccoons will tear apart what remains of your lawn in order to feast on this delicacy. Learn how to beat the chafer beetle vancouver infestation. What is the European Chafer Beetle? If your lawn is infested, it quickly becomes apparent when birds, skunks and raccoons come to feast…causing extensive damage. Here in Surrey, the Chafer Beetle has become an increasingly serious pest and many homeowners are frustrated by brown, torn apart lawns. But because they are so substantial, they make an ideal source of protein for birds and mammals. Adult beetles are tan to brown in colour and reach approximately 1.5 centimeters in length. Folks in Michigan have been dealing with this insect for many years now, but it is relatively new to Indiana; adults of this species were first detected in Porter, Kosciusko and Allen counties during 2007. As an adult, it emerges, mates, and then lays the eggs for a new generation. European Chafer Beetle Adult European Chafer beetles are tan or brown beetles resembling June beetles but measure only about 1.5cm in length. Adult Chafer Beetles are tan or brown, measuring approximately 1.5 centimetres (0.5 inches) long. The European chafer is a very serious grub pest of turf and can cause more turf damage than the Japanese beetle. The European Chafer Beetle is an invasive insect pest. The best control is achieved using a preventive approach with applications of imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin or chlorantraniliprole applied June through mid-July. Dead patches in the fall may become bare soil by April. Cleaning the turfs in your law regularly is one way to prevent them from getting damaged. The 2 best treatments available today are 1. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) says a resident of south Minneapolis tipped them off to the presence of the European chafer beetle, which can cause major damage … Grubs overwinter just below frozen soil and return to the surface as soon as the ground thaws. Up close: Turf heavily infested with grubs can be easily rolled back when most of the roots have been consumed. When numerous, they can cause considerable damage to trees and shrubs and, because they are attracted to lights, they can also become a nuisance around buildings. Larvae feed on the roots of turf. The damage caused by chafer infestation to residential lawns is exacerbated by the fact that its grubs are an attractive food source for local fauna such as crows, foxes and raccoons, who relentlessly dig up the turf in search of the morsels. 711 TTY, © Copyright 2020 Minnesota Department of Agriculture, There are no federal, state or local regulations related to European chafer, Farm, Property, Real Estate Listing (MN FarmLink), Agriculture Chemical Response & Reimbursement Account, Agricultural Best Management Practices (AgBMP) Loan, Agricultural Growth, Research & Innovation (AGRI) Program, Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration (AGRI), More Business Development, Loans, Grants Topics, Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program, Certified Testing Laboratories (soil & manure), Fertilizer Tonnage Reporting & Inspection Fees, Pesticide Dealer Licensing & Sales Reporting, characteristics of the posterior of the abdomen. The European chafer can destroy turf, and could cause extensive damage to homeowners’ lawns if they become established in Washington. European chafer adults feed very little on foliage and are not a problem. The European Chafer Beetle originated in continental Europe but can now be found in temperate climates across North America. European chafer beetle was discovered in the U.S. in 1940, in a nursery near Rochester, New York. The grubs, measuring 2 to 2.5 cm, are soft, white, and C-shaped with tan-coloured heads and six prominent legs. It was first identified in the Lower Mainland in New West Minster in 2001 and has since spread to many municipalities across Metro Vancouver. Beetle varieties such as Japanese beetle and European chafer lay their eggs in the yards in early to mid-summer. Adult beetles emerge from the soil between mid June and early July in Michigan and New York, though emergence times vary and depend on temperature. The mature beetles do not sting or bite and have quite a short life span. It also shows up in areas with no previous history of white grub damage, including low maintenance areas. Unfortunately, by the time you see these signs of damage at the surface level, the real damage to the grass root systems has already happened.The lifecycle of the European chafer beetle lasts one year: nine months of which they spend as grubs in your lawn. European Chafer Beetle Family Name Scarabaeidae Species A. majale. The European Chafer beetle is a grub that feeds on the roots of plants. How Can We Stop It? Part of this difference may occur because the European chafer spends a longer portion of the summer feeding on turf. The larvae are white with brown heads, C-shaped, and can reach up to 2.5 centimeters in length. As it’s name suggests, the European chafer beetle is native to Europe. The European Chafer Beetles have invaded Vancouver. Rhizotrogus majalis). Living most of its life in the soil, the beetle's wormlike larvae do the most damage by feeding heavily on grass roots, creating visible patches of dead and dying turf. However, adult European chafers do not eat at all and so are not the problem defoliators that Japanese beetles are. European chafers may also cause damage to a variety of field, forage and grain crops (see Figure 3). Vancouver Chafer beetles can cause extensive damage to lawn turf due to the larvae feeding on the roots of the grass. confused with the European chafer beetle larvae or adults: NATIVE BEETLES • Ten-lined June beetle (Polyphylla decemlineata) can often be found in sandy soils in British Columbia. The European chafer beetle originates from Western and Central Europe. 625 Robert Street North Most European chafer beetles have one generation per year, but a small proportion of the population may require two years to complete development. Figure 3. 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