The Palisade Colorado Japanese Beetle Eradication Program

NEWS RELEASE - May 19, 2004

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Japanese Beetle trapping efforts under way in Palisade, CO

Matt Camper, Palisade Japanese Beetle Eradication Program Coordinator, announced today that the mass trapping efforts of the Japanese Beetle will begin on Tuesday, May 18th.

Mass trapping is part of the three-pronged approach being utilized by the eradication effort. Mass trapping targets the adult Japanese beetles. As adults, these beetles chew leaves of over 300 kinds of plants. Among the most commonly damaged plants are: grapes, apples, peaches, cherries and plums among the fruits; asparagus, beets, broccoli, beans and sweet corn among the vegetables; and Norway maple, linden, crabapple, purple-leaf plum, and rose.

Adult Japanese beetles are caught in a trap developed for this insect and baited with attractant lures. The basic trap design has yellow or green vanes at the top and a funnel at the base which feeds into a collecting container. The most important lure used to attract Japanese beetle is based on a mixture of chemicals found in flowers. Both sexes of Japanese beetle are highly attracted to this mixture. Female Japanese beetles produce a sex attractant (pheromone) that is highly attractive to male Japanese beetles. This is known as Japonilure and will also be added to Japanese beetle traps. It can substantially increase capture of the males, but is not attractive to females.

At this time, it is estimated that Camper and the eradication committee will distribute and monitor 600 traps in the Palisade area. The other two approaches to be implemented are a one time application of the insecticide imidacloprid to eliminate the larval stages and a drying down of lawns to dehydrate eggs and larva.

Camper also announced today that TruGreen Chemlawn® will apply an insecticide to lawns within the city limits of Palisade at no cost to the program or property owner. Bayer Corporation has donated enough of the chemical imidacloprid to treat every lawn within the city limts. TruGreen ChemLawn® is offering a discounted price to residents who would like to have their lawn treated and live just outside the town of Palisade. Treatment of lawns is scheduled to begin on June 14th and continue through the 18th. Call Lee with TruGreen ChemLawn® at 245-3838 with questions regarding areas where the discount applies.

The web site at http://www.palisadejapanesebeetle.org provides updated information on the extent of the problem with this pest and the action that will be taken to eradicate it from the area. Information is also available by contacting the project coordinator, Matt Camper, at 250-2694 and by contacting the CSU Extension office in Grand Junction at 244-1834.