Parts of eastern Canada and much more are under siege from the invasive Japanese beetle, which appears to be spiking in population while tearing through thousands of plants and trees across the region.

Since early spring, Windsor-area master gardener Barb Morden has waged a daily battle against the Japanese scarab beetle in her Tecumseh garden.

“We go out two or three times a day and kill them,” Morden told the Star.

“They’re eating everything. They’re really, really bad.”

The pest isn’t new to Windsor, but it appears to be thriving here more than usual.

The larvae prefer turf grass and are a “major pest” in parks and golf courses, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

The adult beetles attack the roots, foliage, and fruit of roughly 300 different kinds of plants.

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