Carol Novack, age S, of Rockaway Beach

Did Japanese beetles come from Japan

This horrible pest arrived from Japan around 1916, A dozen or so of the coppery colored bandits were discovered in New Jersey, ‑It is believed that a few maggots of the beetle were shipped there in soil packed around some imported bulbs, Millions of the destructive pests have descended from the original, illegal immigrants. Nearby states are already thick with them, A few are slowly making their way west and south, All this in spite of all the farmers and gardeners can do to destroy them.

The maggots of the Japanese beetle live underground for a year or so, ruining lawns and grasses, The grown beetles destroy flowers, fruit, trees, and shrubs, They show us no mercy, So lets all of us get busy and show them no mercy in return. It's too late to waste time worrying about where the invaders came from. The sensible thing is to learn to recognize them, find out what destroys them and attack. Show no mercy to the Japanese beetle, Let's all destroy our quota every year.