A recent study has raised concerns about the potential for Japanese beetles, known for their distinctive green-and-copper coloring, to overrun Washington State within two decades without decisive intervention. The infestation is renowned for their destructive feeding habits, the beetles ‘skeletonize’ plant leaves, leaving only the veins intact. The research, published in the Journal of Economic Entomology, suggests the beetles are particularly likely to thrive in Washington’s dry, agriculture-rich southeastern region. The Japanese beetles’ westward infest across the United States is not a recent phenomenon; it began in 1916 on the East Coast. The first beetles detected in Washington were found … Continue reading Japanese Beetle Infestations Poised to Overrun Washington’s Agricultural Riches