Japanese beetle

American  

noun

1. a small beetle, Popillia japonica, of the scarab family, introduced into the eastern U.S. from Japan, the adult of which feeds on the foliage of fruit and other trees, and the larva of which feeds on plant roots.

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Japanese beetle British  

noun

1. a scarabaeid beetle, Popillia japonica, that eats the leaves and fruits of various plants: accidentally introduced into the US from Japan

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Etymology

Origin of Japanese beetle

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Surveys of Japanese beetle infestation will determine if the quarantine area needs to be expanded or changed.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 8, 2022

Have your Japanese beetle traps lined up once the adults emerge and appear in your neighborhood, and get floating row covers for vegetable plants.

From Salon • Aug. 8, 2021

One reason this year feels intense is that the Japanese beetle experienced colony collapse in Iowa’s harsh 2013-14 winter.

From Washington Times • Jul. 22, 2017

After high school, Peter Gerety worked for the New Jersey Transportation Department and the federal Agriculture Department, at one point inspecting cars at the Connecticut border during a Japanese beetle infestation.

From New York Times • Sep. 27, 2016

The Japanese beetle, an insect accidentally imported into the United States, was discovered in New Jersey in 1916, when a few shiny beetles of a metallic green color were seen in a nursery near Riverton.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson