Japanese Beetle Project
What is the Japanese Beetle Project?
The Japanese Beetle Project is a collaboration between Dr. Deans' lab and USDA-APHIS. This project aims to document the presence of two Japanese beetle (JB) biorational controls, Ovavesicula popilliae and the winsome fly, in Alabama, as well as to spread awareness of the potential of these biocontrols as a potential sustainable, longterm JB control method.
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This project also aims to create a stakeholder network and advisory board with members from city park boards, golf course superintendents, and farmers, where we can establish sampling sites, gain feedback, disseminate our data and findings, and promote our Citizen Science Project (click here!).
What are Japanese Beetles (JB)?
Japanese beetles (Popilliae japonica) are an invasive Coleopteran (scarab beetle) pest originating from Japan, and introduced into the United States through New Jersey in 1916. Since then, they have spread throughout the northeast, midwest, and southeast United States. There is currently a quarantine maintained by APHIS that prevents their spread to western states.
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JB larvae (white grubs) feed majorly on grass roots and are especially destructive for turfgrass systems. Adult JBs feed on a large variety of plant hosts, feeding on more than ~350 species from ornamental plants to specialty crops. Because of this, they are a major pest concern for both farmers and other landowners with irrigated turf, such as golf course owners and parks and recreation services.
What is Ovavesicula popilliae (OP)?
Ovavesicula popilliae (OP) is an obligate microsporidian pathogen that infects the Malpighian tubules of JBs after ingestion of spores present in the soil by JB larvae. It was first discovered in Connecticut in 1985, and has since been surveyed for and identified in multiple northeast, midwest, and southeast states. Even though OP has been identified at sites in Tennessee, data is lacking for OP presence in Alabama. This project aims to identify high infection rate sites in Alabama.
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Once a site heavily infested with JBs is inoculated with OP spores, mortality of overwintering JB grubs increases with infection rate. and the fecundity of surviving adults is greatly reduced, up to 50%. Also after inoculation with OP, JB populations can be reduced by 30% after six years of infection, and up to 75% after 18 years. This means OP is a great sustainable and longterm biorational control option for JB infestations.
What are Winsome Flies?
The tachinid winsome fly is a parasitic fly that lays its eggs on the exoskeleton of adult JBs. The larvae will hatch and bore into the adult beetle, where they feed until the adult JB eventually dies. This project aims to survey parasitism rates of the winsome fly in adult JBs in Alabama.