BUREAU OF PLANT QUARANTINE 11 
JAPANESE BEETLE QUARANTINE AND CONTROL 
EXTENT OF INFESTATION 
The abandonment of visual field surveys by scouts and the substitution 
therefor of traps for the purpose of determining the presence or absence of the 
Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica Newm.) in nonregulated territory were 
responsible for discovery during the summer of 1932 of first-record infestations 
in greater numbers and at points farther removed from the infested sections 
than previously recorded. Catches ranging from 1 to 10 beetles were made 
in 94 cities and towns. Finds of so few beetles in a locality are largely indica- 
tive of incipient infestations, possibly of the current year's spread. Collections 
in sufficient numbers to indicate apparent overwintering infestations were 
made in 49 cities and towns. Catches at these 143 cities and towns not pre- 
viously known to be infested totaled 3,688 beetles. 
Observations in sections densely infested with the Japanese beetle indicated 
that the insect during the summer of 1932 probably caused greater destruction 
of fruit and produce crops than in any year since its discovery in 1916. For 
the past several years adult beetles have been known to cause considerable 
commercial damage to cut flowers grown throughout the winter and spring 
months in greenhouses in the Philadelphia zone. This condition has continued. 
A few instances have also been observed of heavy concentrations of larvae in 
uncertified nursery plots destroying evergreen stock, thus compelling the poison- 
ing of the nursery block with arsenate of lead to protect the stock. Such treat- 
ment has been entirely for plant protection rather than in compliance with 
the quarantine requirements. Beetle population increases were sufficient in 
Long Island and Westchester County, X.Y., and the northeastern counties of 
New Jersey, to arouse public interest and require the attention of city foresters 
and park departments in combating the insect. Adult beetle flight of noticeable 
proportions took place in sections of Wilmington, Del., and Harrisburg, Pa. 
Through the county agent of Burlington County, X.J.. heavy beetle damage to 
soybeans was reported for the first time, requiring early harvesting of the crop 
to prevent entire destruction of the stand. 
Surveys were made for 7 weeks during the summer of 1932 to determine the 
extent of the sections in southern New Jersey, southeastern Pennsylvania, and 
northern Delaware in which Japanese-beetle defoliation or partial defoliation of 
favored food plants was conspicuous and readily observable from an automobile 
proceeding at a moderate rate of speed. Defoliation to the extent of between 75 
and 100 percent was obvious over an area of 1,647 square miles. Damage of 
from 50 to 75 percent was evident in 1,378 square miles. Evidence oi at least 
25 percent foliage injury was observed over an additional area of 1,353 square 
mile-. A total of 4,378 square miles was found infested to the degrees noted. 
Among the plants wholly or partly defoliated were apples, peaches, eherries, 
plums, quinces, lindens, willows, larch, young Norway maples, sassafras, Qorse- 
cheetnuts, grapes, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, certain vegetables, and 
a number of ornamental plants. Adult feeding on the silk of field and sugar corn 
also resulted in reduced yields of these crops. In this densely infested section, 
heavy concentrations of grubs destroyed or badly injured the sod in many 
and golf courses. 
The regulated area as effective January 23, 1933, includes the New England 
Stan-, with the exception of Maine and the northern halves of New Hampshire 
and Vermont; the Middle Atlantic States, exclusive of territory in northwestern 
Pennsylvania and northern New York contiguous to the lake region and Canadian 
border; together with the District of Columbia, the State of Delaware, ami 
limited sections of Maryland and Virginia. Included in the regulated territory 
are 97,690 square miles. In addition to the main regulated /one, there are 10 
small isolated regulated sections, 3 in Virginia, and 7 in Maryland. This 
enlarged area places under regulation all infestations of an apparently estab- 
lished nature. It is believed that the few beetles trapped in West Virginia, 
the Shenandoah Valley, western Ni w York, Maim-, Michigan, Ohio, North 
Carolina, and South Carolina are not indicative of established infestations 
warranting quarantine extension. 
Field inspections by scouts in the Bummer of 1932 were confined to examina- 
tion ,,i 1,230 class 1 nursery and greenhouse establishments and nearby premi- 
BCOU1 Collections indicated that the insect had spread to L63 
premises which in previous years had been found free from infestation. This 
w ■ much greater Bpread of the insect than took place last war. when initial 
infestations were found on only 126 classified aura eenhouse pren 
