Episode Details

Italy’s vineyards are under siege by Japanese beetles—iridescent invaders that strip leaves, expose grapes to sun, and threaten this year’s harvest. First spotted near Milan in 2014, these voracious pests, with no natural predators in Europe, are now a top EU priority. Winemakers face slashed yields and unusable crops as beetles create lace-like damage across regions like Piedmont. Scientists are testing larval-targeting parasites and pheromone traps, while farmers resort to labor-intensive pesticides. Though harmless to humans, these beetles are rewriting the rules of Italian viticulture—fighting them is a race against time.

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