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4 clusters · 5 sources · 15 days · First seen · Last updated

Red-necked longhorn beetle spread in Japan

Overview

The invasive red-necked longhorn beetle (Anoplophora chinensis) has been confirmed in Okayama and Fukui prefectures. In Okayama, the beetle was identified at Okayama Korakuen and surrounding areas, affecting four cherry trees. In Fukui, the first sighting in the Hokuriku region occurred in Oi Town, where larvae were found in nine cherry trees and 13 plum trees.

The infestation has expanded to cause significant damage to fruit orchards in Saitama and Nagano prefectures. In Saitama, the Obuse plum groves—one of the region’s three major plum forests—are under threat, with approximately 10% of the 5,000 plum trees already affected. The impact on farmers is severe; some have been forced to abandon their businesses because infested trees must be felled, and new trees require up to 15 years to bear fruit. Mitigation is complicated by the high cost of specialized netting and the inability to use pesticides intended for cherry trees on edible plum trees.

In Nagano Prefecture, the infestation is also expanding. Local authorities in areas such as Saku City and Sakuho Town have begun distributing specialized pesticides to farmers to combat the spread.

Native to China, Vietnam, and the Korean Peninsula, this species poses a critical threat to the Rosaceae family, including cherry, peach, and plum trees. Since its initial discovery in Japan in 2012, the beetle has expanded to 22 prefectures, prompting the Ministry of the Environment to emphasize that early eradication is vital to preventing further spread.

Entities

Fukui Prefecture · Ooi Town · Okayama Korakuen · Red-necked longhorn beetle · Saitama Prefecture

Timeline

  1. 10 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Invasive beetle threatens Japanese fruit orchards

    The invasive red-necked longhorn beetle is devastating plum, peach, and prune orchards across Japan, forcing some farmers into retirement and prompting government pesticide distribution in Nagano.

  2. 16 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Invasive red-necked longhorn beetle confirmed in Fukui Prefecture

    The invasive red-necked longhorn beetle has been confirmed in Ooi Town, Fukui Prefecture, threatening cherry and plum trees in the Hokuriku region.

  3. 23 days ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Fukui Prefecture reports first sighting of invasive red-necked longhorn beetle

    The invasive red-necked longhorn beetle has been confirmed for the first time in Fukui Prefecture, posing a threat to plum, cherry, and peach trees across Japan.

  4. 25 days ago

    [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Invasive red-necked longhorn beetle detected in Okayama and Fukui

    The invasive red-necked longhorn beetle has been detected for the first time in Okayama and Fukui prefectures, threatening cherry and fruit trees and prompting emergency investigations.

Sources

basswave.jp · fnn.jp · fukuishimbun.co.jp · prtimes.jp · shimotsuke.co.jp

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history