Invasive Lawn-Eating Beetle Makes Way To Minnesota For 1st Time

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The European chafer beetle, an insect that can destroy lawns, has been spotted in Minnesota for the first time. A resident of south Minneapolis recently reported finding large swarms of beetles in their yard at dusk and reported it to a University of Minnesota entomologist.

The entomologist suspected the beetles were European chafers and contacted the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. The MDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture worked to confirm the identity of the insect, because it had never been seen in Minnesota before.

This type of beetle was first discovered in the United States in 1940 in New York state. It has been found in the northeastern United States, in Michigan and in Wisconsin.

"The grub of the European chafer can cause more damage to turf than Japanese beetles because it spends a longer portion of the summer feeding on turf," MDA said in a release.

"However, adults do not eat at all, so they do not defoliate other plants like Japanese beetles are known to do. Home lawns, golf courses, and turf growers could be significantly impacted if the European chafer beetle becomes established in Minnesota."

What to know about the European chafer beetle:

• The beetle eats the roots of grass, ultimately killing the grass and turning lawns brown.
• The adult insects are about a half-inch long and tan in color.
• They are similar to Minnesota's "June bugs."
• The beetles emerge from the soil between mid-June and early July.
• They are active on warm evenings before and after sunset.
• Increasing mowing height, fertilizing, watering, overseeding, and liming lawns is key to preventing damage from the beetles, according to the website for the city Richmond, Canada.

Because this is the first time the European chafer beetle has been found in Minnesota, state agriculture officials need to better understand where the insect may be in the state and how big of an issue it will be to homeowners, golf courses and turf growers.

Minnesotans can report suspected European chafer to the MDA’s Arrest the Pest line at arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us or 888-545-6684. Before calling, capture the insect, take a picture and put the insect in a container or plastic bag and place it in a freezer.