Japanese beetle advances through northern Italy's vineyards and orchards, frustrating farmers

Shiny green Japanese beetles have swarmed parts of northern Italy, chewing leaves on orchards and terraced vineyards and threatening grape ripening and historic sites.
The pest feeds on 300+ plant species and its larvae damage lawns and roots; farmers say some harvests are already reduced or lost in the Po Valley.
Authorities are using pheromone traps, pesticides and even microscopic parasites to attack larvae, but the beetles spread easily by travel, making containment difficult.