Japanese beetle spotted in France prompts heightened surveillance and eradication measures

Two Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) were captured in late June / early July in Alsace, at Mulhouse and Saint‑Hippolyte. The finds mark the first confirmed presence of the invasive pest in France, following earlier detections across Europe (Italy 2014, Germany, Switzerland 2017) and in neighboring Swiss regions.

French authorities, including the regional Directorate for Food, Agriculture and Forests (DRAAF) and the Ministry of Agriculture, have intensified trapping and monitoring programmes nationwide. Surveillance efforts have been expanded to Bourgogne‑Franche‑Comté and Provence‑Alpes‑Côte d’Azur, with intensive prospections aimed at locating additional individuals.

The beetle is listed among the EU’s 20 priority quarantine pests. It can damage more than 300 plant species—vines, maize, soy, fruit trees and lawns—by adults feeding on foliage and larvae feeding on roots. While not a threat to human health, the pest poses significant agricultural and economic risks, prompting mandatory surveillance across EU member states.