WRITE TEAM: Where have all the Asian beetles gone?

I was recently looking over some old columns that I had written. I have been writing these since 2007 so I have quite a library built up for me to fall back on.

In 2010, I wrote a column about what we all thought were lady bugs. Later we found out that they were in fact an Asian beetle, or more specifically the Harmonia axyridis. At first we thought they were just little cute lady bugs and, in some countries they are known as the Japanese Ladybug. My British friends call them the Harlequin ladybird.

According to sources, the Asian beetle first arrived in America in the early 1900s as a way to keep aphids in control. Aphids, also known as plant lice (now there’s a lovely name) are small plant eating insects that will munch down on just about any plant. Specifically, they love and therefore suck the sap of phloem vessels in plants. Once a phloem vessel is punctured, the sap, which is under high pressure, is forced into the aphid's little food canal. As they feed, aphids often transmit plant viruses to the plant and, bingo, that’s where the problem lies. Or does it lay? Either way, in the early 1900s aphids were wreaking havoc with crops, primarily in the south and east and so in an effort to stem the tide of destruction, some well-meaning scientists started to look for a solution to this plight.

After some quick but exhaustive research, scientists discovered that aphids had several natural enemies in nature; the hoverfly larvae, parasitic wasps, crab spiders and our friend, the Asian beetle. Ruling out the first two, simply because of the names, and not wanting to be “that guy” responsible for the population explosion of the crab spider, scientists settled on the Asian beetle.

The latest version, for lack of a better word, of the Asian beetle was introduced to the US in the early 1980s. This time, the aphids were causing considerable damage to pecan trees, particularly in the southeast. Fearing outrage from the pie-eating community, the US Department of Agriculture tried our speckled little friends, flown in directly from Asia. After a period of time, USDA scientists concluded that their attempts had been unsuccessful so, their plans of introducing more Asian beetles were scrapped.

If history has taught us anything, it has taught us that nature cannot be contained. The beetle population quickly spread to other states and by 1991 the little dudes were flourishing in the Midwest.

But now, I can’t remember the last time I saw an Asian beetle. Where have all the beetles gone?

I had an Asian beetle in my office, flitting around, landing on various objects. Annoying really. First, it landed on my mouse so I gave it a little brush-off. Then it landed on the  "D" key on my keyboard so again, I brushed it off. And then, without me knowing it, it landed on my coffee cup and I took a sip of coffee and the little Asian beetle.

But now, I miss the little guys. I don’t see them crawling up the side of my house nor show up in my office. My dog has not eaten any for some time so her breath does not smell like beetle juice.

If they’re gone, they’re gone and I’ll deal with the loss. I’ve already forgotten how annoying they were and just wish I could see one, one last time.

JONATHAN FREEBURG is an Ottawa transplant for the last 25 years. Jonathan is also a regular contributor t0 1430 WCMY Radio. His real job is insurance as a cover-holder for Lloyd's of London.