Beetle threatens Japanese iconic cherry blossoms

tokio - Like almost every year, Japan enjoys the first cherry blossoms in an almost religious way, which is regarded as one of the country's trademarks. But the cherry trees in the country are threatened by the invasion of a beetle that has come over from the Asian mainland. The number of trees can be decimated within a few years.

The opening of the first cherry blossom was formally announced last weekend by the Japanese meteorological institute.

The beetle aromia bungii is a kind of long-horned beetle and poses a big threat. 'If nothing is done, I would not be surprised if the Japanese cherry trees die out completely,' an entomologist told Yukan Fujinews.

The beetle normally occurs in countries such as China and Mongolia and has a preference for cherry and peach trees. The little animal drills holes in the trunk of the tree to lay eggs. Japan feels compelled to fell infected trees to prevent further spread.