Could anyone tell me if the European Chafer Beetle has arrived in the UBC/UEL area? Last year I was told that it could not seem to get past Pacific Spirit Park.
They were discovered in New Westminster in 2001. The female can fly about two "miles" a year. They lay their eggs in the middle of July. So, it's possible that they could have made it to the endownment lands by now on their own. The other problem is that landscapers can carry the larvae quite a distance. I personally know of landscaping companies that work in areas of the GVRD that were ravaged by the European Chafer, and they carry their lawn clippings and debris out into the Fraser Valley to dump it. It's been pretty wet around here for the last two Springs, and my landscaping business hasn't had any calls to repair or control them lately. I haven't seen any really badly damaged lawns in a couple of years either. Prior to that we were kept busy. Have you seen lawn damage out there by U.B.C. from crows and raccoons? Any-one who has E.Chafers or has seen signs of them in their area should keep their lawns healthy, fertilize properly and cut at about 2 to 2.5 inches and you should be fine. If you find European Chafers or think you have them, can you please contact the Provincial Government Entomologist at the BC Ministry of Agriculture in Abbotsford B.C? Her e-mail is : Tracy.Heuppelsheuser@gov.bc.ca
Many thanks for your rapid and precise reply. During my many walks around UBC*/UEL, I have not seen any churned-up lawns so far but my sister's lawn in the MacKenzie Heights area (Dunbar/Kerrisdale) was attacked this winter. I have noted the e-mail address of the BC Ministry of Agriculture and will contact them if the E Chafer shows signs of appearing.
