6 TH EE A'U. DU BrOUNS Be. Le lin ee 
JAPANESE BEETLE CONTROL and EFFECT on BIRDS 
By KARL E. BARTEL 
THE JAPANESE BEETLE was accidentally introduced into the United States 
prior to 1916. It has since become established in most of the northeastern 
states. Within the last year a small outbreak was discovered in a forest 
preserve southeast of Blue Island, Illinois. To control this outbreak, the 
United States Department of Agriculture, Plant Pest Control Division, put 
on a spraying program, covering some 25 square miles by airplane with 
Heptachlor granules. 
Within two days after the spraying (March 17-18, 1959), residents called 
and complained to the local pet shop owner and to two Blue Island natural- 
ists about dying birds. Since nothing could be done at this stage, it was 
suggested a count be kept of every dead bird and animal found. An article 
in the local newspapers advised all persons to report findings to the natural- 
ists. The data thus gathered would be used to obtain more information about 
wildlife kill from Heptachlor. 
In the meantime, letters were written to State and Federal agencies for 
further details. The U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish & Wildlife Serv- 
ice, replied: “The application of two pounds of granular Heptachlor per 
acre will result in immediate heavy losses of birds and small mammals. In 
a study area it was found that even 11 months after treatment, heavy losses 
can be expected of migrant birds. Studies with penned quail and pheasants 
have shown that Heptachlor is 10 to 15 times more toxic than DDT.” 
Harlow B. Mills, Chief, State Natural History Survey Division, Urbana, 
Illinois, wrote: “Until recently the infested areas have been in the eastern 
states, but several outbreaks have been found in the midwest. The problem 
which faces control people is that of destroying local outbreaks before they 
can spread and generally infest a larger area. It is most regrettable that 
bird deaths follow treatment for Japanese beetles, and we will be very 
happy when more specific measures for control are discovered. The initial 
losses are dramatic at times, but observations indicate that there is a re- 
population of the area, sometimes the same season as treatment. Fortu- 
nately, the beetle treatment is done only once. Some treated areas have been 
free of beetles for over four years. The matter of bird losses is one which 
alarms us all, but as yet we are unable to reach valid conclusions that the 
losses after treatment are of a permanent nature. Regardless of this, we 
will all feel better when the control people have more specific methods to 
use. At the moment we have a glimmering of hope that such methods are 
not far in the future.” 
About a dozen questions were submitted to the Plant Pest Control Divi- 
sion, and their answers were as follows: ‘‘Heptachlor is effective against 
larvae and adults of the Japanese beetle, but is most injurious to newly 
hatched larvae. . . The chemical kills by contact, fumigation, and inges- 
tion. . . It is effective as a soil insecticide for three years and probably 
longer. . . Heptachlor is effective against several kinds of soil insects. . . 
It has no serious effect against earthworms. . . Rain will not recharge the 
insecticide. . . Heptachlor is deadly to fish, but ... it has been found that 
