The Minnesota Department of Agriculture received a report on the invasive insect initially thanks to a sighting from a resident in Eden Prairie. The bug’s larvae were bagged and dispatched to federal authorities to officially confirm the sighting.
Sightings have been made in other locations such as Burnsville. Angie Ambourn from the Agriculture Department’s Pest Detection Unit stated that:
“I wouldn’t be surprised if it was much more widespread than we know. We really don’t know what we have yet. The beetle isn’t like the emerald ash borer.”
The viburnum leaf beetle is originally from Europe. It can be identified by how it eats as it only eats a certain type of viburnum, which is commonly found in many yards in Minnesota. An infestation of this bug can cause a serious amount of defoliation on the plant which can result in the plant’s death.
Official departments often use Posters and flyer printing to let residents know about important announcements such as this.
The beetle’s larvae are brown or yellow with black dashes and spots across their bodies. The holes that they eat into leaves look similar to those left by Japanese beetles. Adult beetles lay eggs on top of leaves and they are easy to spot with the naked eye. Sightings of the viburnum leaf beetle have also been reported in other northeastern states such as Wisconsin.
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