Published7 August 2024, 12:23
Basel: Animal weapon to push back invasive Japanese beetle
The number of Japanese beetles caught has fallen in the last two weeks. The canton of Basel-Landschaft is now also using nematodes to combat the beetles.
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The number of adult Japanese beetles caught in both Basels has decreased in the last two weeks.
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Since the last update, seven Japanese beetles have been found.
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In addition to traps, nematodes are now also used to combat the beetle larvae.
Thanks to intensive monitoring, it has been determined that the number of adult Japanese beetles caught has been slowly declining over the last two weeks. This was reported by the Economic and Health Directorate of the Canton of Basel-Landschaft on Wednesday morning. In addition to traps, nematodes are now also being used to combat the beetles.
Seven beetles found
Since July 24, 2024, seven Japanese beetles have been found in both Basels, which is extremely low compared to the trap finds in recent weeks. This could be related to the end of the main flight season. However, the new finds have little impact on the currently valid infestation areas and buffer zones.
The canton of Basel-Landschaft has recently set up so-called Llins (net traps) in the area of the Sodengarten in the Brüglinger Ebene. The traps are treated with an insecticide. An attractant is placed under the net that attracts the beetles, which die when they come into contact with the insecticide.
The nets are not allowed to be touched by passers-by and are cordoned off. Care was also taken to ensure that the traps do not pose a threat to the remaining biodiversity. Other insects are not attracted by the attractant.
Nematodes are used
It can be assumed that individual Japanese beetles have already laid eggs in the soil of moist lawns and meadows or will do so in the future. In order to combat the larvae hatching from the soil, roundworms, so-called nematodes, are currently being spread on public lawns, meadows and sports areas in the vicinity of the locations where they are found. They act as beneficial organisms directly in the soil, where they track down Japanese beetle larvae, penetrate them and kill them.
New transport options for plant material
Until September 30, 2024, plant material from green care could only be exported from the defined infestation or buffer zones under strict conditions.
Plant material may now be transported outside the defined zones if it is not chopped but packed in thick bags or containers and additionally covered to protect against insects, and is unloaded in a controlled manner in one of the following facilities and processed directly.
Garden material without foreign substances such as plastic, metal residues, treated wood, etc. can be delivered to the following composting plants:
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Biopower plant in Pratteln
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Widenhof composting plant of the Basel municipal gardening department in Arlesheim
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Other facilities that offer comparable security in terms of storage/disposal
Garden material containing foreign substances can be transported and disposed of in the following facilities:
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Waste incineration plant Basel
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Other facilities that offer comparable security in terms of storage/disposal
Situation at the sports facilities
The Rheinacker and Hörnli are the first natural grass fields in the affected zone that had to be closed due to the irrigation ban and the drought. The clubs were offered alternative training pitches.
The fields at the Rankhof and St. Jakob facilities will continue to be used, but efforts will be made to protect the grass. Training and games will increasingly take place on artificial turf. In addition, the sports office rolled out mobile artificial turf early on in order to be able to provide additional training areas.
The Japanese beetle hotline is available as a central contact point for beetle finds at the following number: +41 61 267 64 00.
This map shows where exotic problem animals are located in Switzerland.
20min/Taddeo Cerletti
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