The spread of European chafer beetle can be accelerated by the use of infested soil and turf, plants, and landscaping equipment, as well as through composting infested turfgrass and soil (City of Port Coquitlam 2017). [1], Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Organic Solutions for European Chafer Beetles - West Coast Seeds", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=European_chafer&oldid=982585823, Articles lacking in-text citations from September 2013, Taxonbars without primary Wikidata taxon IDs, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Montreuil, O. However, if the population is large and food is scarce, they may move into vegetable planting to feed on corn, potatoes and other crops. European Chafer larvae (grubs) feed on all types of grass. This has made the European chafer an enemy of lawns. European chafer grubs are not usually found in daily-irrigated turf. The life cycle of the Chafer Beetle lasts one year with new eggs hatching in July pending weather conditions. Eggs are shiny and oval, milky-white when freshly laid, but later turning dull gray, approximately 2.3 by 2.7 millimetres (3⁄32 in × 7⁄64 in). The life cycle of the Chafer Beetle lasts one year with new eggs hatching in July pending weather conditions. European Chafer is here to stay, but with healthy lawn care practices, alternative groundcovers and biological treatment, damage from this pest can be controlled on residential properties. Later on, the damage intensifies when predatory animals such as raccoons, skunks, … It was first identified in the Lower Mainland in New West Minster in 2001 and has since spread to many municipalities across Metro Vancouver. The large, white grubs of A. majale feed on the roots of most cool-latitude grasses, both wild and cultivated. The pupae of the European chafer resemble those of the other turf-infesting scarab beetles, such as the Japanese beetle. Image 4 (above): Scout for European chafer grubs by digging a 1-foot long by 1-foot wide by 2-inch deep section of sod, the action threshold for high maintenance turf is 15–20 grubs per square foot. The Lifespan of a Chafer Beetle. 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. Wing covers have longitudinal grooves. Organic Solutions for the European Chafer The first option is to cultivate a really healthy lawn that will naturally recover from the presence of the grubs. Part of this difference may occur because the European chafer spends a longer portion of the summer feeding on turf. We control European Chafer grubs in Grand Rapids by using preventative grub control treatments while the grubs are still in the larvae stage. Since then, its geographic range has increased in the region. The grubs, measuring 2 to 2.5 cm, are soft, white, and C-shaped with tan-coloured heads and six prominent legs. This is labour-intensive, and involves routine aerating, dethatching, fertilizing, and deep watering of grassy areas. They emerge at about 8:30 pm, mate through the night, and return to the soil by daybreak. 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The imago, or adult beetle, stage is quite short, lasting 1–2 weeks. The raster has two distinct rows of small spines that diverge outward at the tip of the abdomen. The grubs hatch by late July. They are here to stay, but with healthy lawn care practices, alternative groundcovers and biological treatment, damage from this pest can be controlled on residential properties. The 2005 study revealed that H. bacteriophora, when used at a rate of up to 3 billion nematodes per acre, can provide significant control of young (1st instar) European chafer grubs in the ground. European Chafer Beetle Adult European Chafer beetles are tan or brown beetles resembling June beetles but measure only about 1.5cm in length. By June, the new beetles begin emerging. Prepared 1980 by Carolyn Klass, Senior Extension Associate, Dept. Pupae are about 16 millimetres (5⁄8 in) long. However, adult European chafers do not eat at all and so are not the problem defoliators that Japanese beetles are. The adults come out of the ground in late spring and mate in large swarms, usually on low trees and shrubs. Cladistic systematics of the genus, This page was last edited on 9 October 2020, at 02:06. The European Chafer Beetle is an exotic pest, so there are few natural predators to control its population. European chafer grubs. By keeping your lawn aerated you keep the soil relaxed which isn’t as preferable to the beetles. Most of the damage is caused in spring just before pupation, the transition from grub to adult. European Chafer Print page Classification Scientific name ... Preventative control of European chafer, Japanese beetle,... See product Insecticide Merit Solupak Wettable Powder . Non-pesticide control. Rodents and birds will then come at night and turn over the grass to uncover and feed on the grubs, causing extensive damage to the turf. Control Measures The European chafer can be controlled by treating the turf in the same manner and with the same materials effective in controlling the Japanese beetle. In 2001 it was found in New Westminster, British Columbia, in lawns and boulevards. Formerly found only in continental Europe, this invasive species is now found at temperate latitudes in North America. The European chafer is a beetle that feeds on grass roots while in its larval (grub) phase, killing the grass and leaving visible dead patches. The grubs feed on the roots of turf, causing the grass to weaken. This has made the European chafer an enemy of lawns. The pre-pupal and pupal stages last 2–4 days and 2 weeks, respectively. European Chafer (Rhizotrogus majalis)The European chafer beetle is an introduced insect to BC that has become a serious lawn pest in the Lower Mainland. Tread your lawn with them once a week during the months of … European Chafer is one of the most damaging turf pests in Vancouver, West Vancouver, and North Vancouver. The grub population consists mainly of first instars in early- to mid-August, second instars by early September, and third instars by mid-September to early October. The European chafer has a 1-year life cycle. The European chafer, Rhizotrogus majalis, is native to western and central Europe. An alternative biological control on the market is parasitic nematodes. Since the European Chafer is an exotic pest, there are few natural predators to control its population. An invasive turf pest, the European Chafer Beetle was first discovered in the Lower Mainland in 2001 and has continued to spread into surrounding communities, including Surrey. European Chafer Control – Nematodes. Control require a combination or preventive treatments over the full growing season. Also, get a pair of aerating sandals. While it is likely that the infestation is here to stay, there are some options that can be used in attempts at European Chafer Beetle control in and around Vancouver. Since it was first discovered in 2001, the geographic range of the pest has grown substantially, particularly here in Richmond. In 2017, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) detected it in the False Creek area of Vancouver. The European chafer (Amphimallon majale classified as Rhizotrogus majalis prior to Montreuil 2000) is a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. In early June, the grubs again move deeper, from 5–25 centimetres (2–10 in), to form earthen cells and pupate. The tip of the abdomen protrudes beyond the wing covers. They are laid singly, 5–10 centimetres (2–4 in) deep in moist soil, and take 2 weeks to hatch. European Chafer Control. In New Hampshire, remember the majority of damage to lawns is caused by larvae of the European Chafer. effectively control European chafer grubs if applied during August or early September. Since the control measures for all of these grubs species is … Today, it has been reported from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Ohio, Michigan, Delaware and southern Ontario. Japanese and European Chafer Beetle Control. Here in Surrey, the Chafer Beetle has become an increasingly serious pest and many homeowners are frustrated by brown, torn apart lawns. Female chafers lay 20-40 eggs over their lifespan. The European chafer (Amphimallon majale classified as Rhizotrogus majalis prior to Montreuil 2000) is a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. Adult beetles are medium-sized, light reddish-brown, and approximately 13–14 millimetres (1⁄2–9⁄16 in) long. It was first discovered in New Westminster lawns and boulevards in 2001. The European Chafer, Rhizotrogus majalis, is a serious pest of turf, horticulture, and field crops in Eastern North America. The Lifespan of a Chafer Beetle. Beetles may return to the trees to re-mate several times over the mating period. In frost zones, the grubs feed until November, then move deeper into the soil. European Chafer Control. Use professionally applied pest control designed to prevent excess lawn pest populations, which can cause damage to your lawn 2. The larvae (or grubs) have brown heads and white, C-shaped bodies, and they’re smaller than a dime. Larvae are white-coloured and C-shaped, with a yellow-brown head and six jointed legs. Chafer Beetles prefer to lay their eggs in more compacted soil. Vigorous feeding occurs from March through May. The European Chafer Beetle is an invasive insect pest. European chafer grubs voraciously feed on turfgrass roots and cause thinning, wilting, and irregular patches of turf that can easily be pulled back or rolled up from the soil. The European chafer is a new turf pest to our region and was first identified in New Westminster in 2001. The European Chafer is a voracious and devastating pest that invades lawns. It was discovered in the United States in 1940 when a grub was found in a nursery-growing area near Rochester, New York. A serious insect pest of turfgrass, the European chafer beetle was first reported in Door County, Wisconsin in 2016. grubs feed on grass in fall and spring. However, European chafer, Japanese beetle, Oriental beetle, masked chafer and Oriental beetle larvae can be found in conjunction with each other. The European Chafer Beetle originated in continental Europe but can now be found in temperate climates across North America. As we’ll explain, those options include the use of pesticides, the introduction of microscopic organisms called nematodes, and replacing your grass with synthetic grass. The European Chafer beetle is a grub that feeds on the roots of plants. Their pronotum features a narrow band of light-yellow setae and the underside of the thorax has similar coloured setae. The beetles are most active on warm, clear nights when the temperature is above 19 °C (66 °F). The European chafer is a very serious grub pest of turf and can cause more turf damage than the Japanese beetle. Regionally, European chafers are a much bigger problem than they used to be. The European Chafer Beetle originated in continental Europe but can now be found in temperate climates across North America. In frost-free areas, the larva will feed all winter. There are two methods for controlling European Chafers that TruGreen® recommends: 1. It is slowly spreading and is now present throughout Vancouver, Burnaby, and Coquitlam. Late in the period, the adult carcasses may litter the ground beneath trees used for swarming. European chafer grubs may be found in all locations in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and in much of the Upper Peninsula. Applications should be made between June 1 amd mid July and this application must be watered into the lawn with at least .5 inches of water. Another drawback to milky spore disease is that it's specific to Japanese beetle larvae and doesn't control the other species of beetles. The European chafer beetles’ short life cycle can lead to a rapidly increasing population if not managed (City of Vancouver 2017). Control Options. Once the adults have crawled out of the soil, they will mate and the females will begin laying eggs in the soil. The large, white grubs of A. majale feed on the roots of most cool-latitude grasses, both wild and cultivated. Lawns and other turfed areas not used in agriculture can be treated with DDT, chlordane, or … 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. The European Chafer beetle is an introduced insect to British Columbia that has become a serious lawn pest in the Lower Mainland. These control strategies can help mitigate damage to turfgrass. Adult Chafer Beetles are tan or brown, measuring approximately 1.5 centimetres (0.5 inches) long. Fully grown larvae are 20–23 millimetres (25⁄32–29⁄32 in) long. 2000. Its larvae feed on the roots of grasses, causing serious damage to lawns. of Entomology, Cornell University Updated 2012 This publication contains pesticide recommendations. Controlling European Chafer in the Summer Months European chafer adults are beginning to emerge The lawn grubs that caused extensive damage to grass this spring are pupating (transforming) and the adult beetles are beginning to emerge. In Vancouver, the European Chafer Beetle pest is attacking lawns on the east side of Vancouver. The damage starts when the chafer grubs feed on lawn roots. The Japanese beetle is an invasive insect found widespread in eastern Canada and the US. Repair damaged turf by re-sowing with grass seed or laying turf in mid to late spring when the chafer grubs have moved deeper into the soil to pupate; Less heavily managed lawns are thought to be more susceptible to damage, so attention paid to feeding, watering and moss prevention may help avoid damaging populations Apply to moist soil in the evening; water lawn after application. Homeowners often find themselves bewildered by the speed and extent of the destruction which may ensue. 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