Beetles Invasion - How to Stop Japanese Beetles

The Beetle Invasion

Japanese Beetles are a common problem for many gardeners June through Labor Day. While you are hoping to enjoy your beautiful bounty of summer flowers, vegetables, grass and fruit trees so are the beetles. Japanese Beetles are brilliantly colored, oval, and less than half an inch long. Wing colors are coppery with fine lines that run the length of its wing cases, and the body is a beautiful metallic green. Adults feed on flowers and leaf tissue during the day.

Japanese beetles are the most widespread turf-grass pests in the United States. Native to Japan, these bugs were first discovered in the U.S. in 1916 in New Jersey. With no natural predators on this continent, these beetles have been slowly spreading across the country over the past few decades.

Usually you will see multiple bugs enjoying your plants. If you can’t see the bugs, you can tell you have Japanese Beetles by the lacey pattern they leave behind after eating the foliage in-between the leaf veins. Another tell tale sign are C-shaped patches in your yard. Pull the grass back and look for the grubs, which grow from ½”-1″ long, usually they are eating the roots.

How to Get Rid of Them

There are a few simple people and pet friendly ways to get rid of Japense Beetles.

Drown them – if the infestation is not bad, walk around your garden one morning with a bucket of water with a bit of soap and drown the little buggers.

Neem Oil sprays (link to Neem Oil spray) - A broad spectrum insecticide, miticide and fungicide Neem oil can effectively control Japanese Beetles (and many other pests). It can be used on all plants including roses, perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs, flowers, fruits, vegetables and house plants. Following manufacturer’s directions spray on your plants leaves every 1 to 2 weeks depending on how much rain your area has received.

Milky Spore (link to Milky Spore within site) – a new and increasingly popular product for getting rid of Japanese Beetles grubs. It contains a naturally occurring host specific bacterium that kills the grubs after they ingest it within 7 to 21 days. As the grubs decompose in your grass or lawn bed more Milky Spore bacteria are redistributed in the soil for other grubs to eat. The cycle can continue killing grubs for 3-10 years.

Pheromone traps – don’t be tempted to buy these at your local garden supply shop. All it takes is one beetle to attract other beetles (from up to 5 miles away) to look for food, mates, and a suitable place to lay eggs. While Pheromone traps may trap beetles they are also attracting more to your garden.