Japanese beetles can be harmful to humans but that doesn’t mean you want to keep them around. This invasive pest feeds on more than 300 plants and costs the United States more than $460 million a year to manage. Penn State Extension. They will also eat plant leaves and flowers.
As their name suggests, these insects are native to Japan but are now found throughout much of the United States. Adults have a distinct metallic green or bronze color on the back. They are about 13 mm (½ in) long with copper-colored forewings. If you get one Japanese beetle, you’ll get more, but there are some that we’ll show you some strategies for getting rid of these plant-eating insects.
Our favorite Japanese beetle traps
Photo: Amazon
Photo: Amazon
Before you begin
Get rid of Japanese beetles as soon as you can. Once their numbers increase, it becomes more difficult to eliminate them. Because this beetles Drawn to the scent of ripe or diseased fruit, carefully inspecting your plants and picking fruits and vegetables promptly are two of the best ways to keep bugs at bay.
signs of Japanese beetle infestation
Japanese beetles like to chew on a variety of plants, and feed on every part: fruits and flowers, leaves, even roots. These insects prefer fruit-bearing plants such as raspberries, grapes, apples, cherries and plums. They will happily feast on trees like elm and birch, and they just love roses.
Adult female Japanese beetles lay eggs 2 to 3 inches below the soil surface. There, the grubs will chew the plant’s roots for nutrients before emerging as adults.
How can you tell if you have grubs, eggs or adult beetles? Take a good look at the leaves of your tree, bushes and plants. One of the signs of a Japanese beetle infestation is skeletonized leaves. Insects feed on the areas between the main veins, giving the leaves a lacy or skeletal appearance. Depending on the plant, the leaves may also die and fall off. You’ll see dead patches of grass where the Japanese beetle destroys the root system.
It is important to note that Japanese beetles are found in groups. If you see one on your plant, you likely have several more.
Protect pollinators by using Natural methods to get rid of Japanese beetles
While you may be tempted to get rid of Japanese beetles quickly with harsh chemical pesticides, the best way to protect pollinators is to choose organic and natural solutions.
Pollinators viz beeButterflies, birds, and bats play an important role in ecosystem health because they pollinate plants, which result in fruits and seeds. In fact, according to the US Forest Service, 80 percent of the world’s flowering plants need the help of pollinators.
“Insecticides should be used as a last resort to control pests, including Japanese beetles,” advises. University of Missouri Integrated Pet Management Program. “When exploring chemical control options, farmers/gardeners should choose the lowest risk and most effective products.”
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How to get rid of Japanese beetles
Japanese beetles, like some other insects, can become a major nuisance in your lawn and garden. Since they are not native to the United States, they have few natural enemies. If you find yourself with a Japanese beetle infestation in your yard or garden, try one or more of the methods below.
1. Set the beetle trap away from the target plant.
Japanese beetle traps This is a great way to prevent pest infestations from getting worse. Traps work by luring male beetles away from infested areas before they can mate.
There are a variety of traps available for purchase, but the basic idea is that the trap contains some type of attractant, such as a pheromone (chemical messenger), to attract insects to the insect. The insects are then either destroyed by the poison or die because they cannot escape the trap.
2. Make homemade Japanese beetle spray.
A simple solution of water and dish soap can suffocate Japanese beetles. Take a bucket and mix a quart of water with a tablespoon of dish soap. Once you’ve mixed the water with dish soap, the least “touchy” solution is to pour the soapy water into a spray bottle and spray the beetles on your affected plants. This can cause the beetles to drop from the plant and potentially become food for predators such as birds.
3. Hand pick Japanese beetles from plants.
The easiest way to get rid of Japanese beetles is to pick them off by hand. Insects don’t move fast, nor do they bite or pinch, so you can go to town on those little bugs with your fingers (wearing thin Gardening glovesif you want). Once you’ve picked the beetle off the plant, place it in a bucket filled with a soap-and-water solution.
4. Spray the affected plants with neem oil.
Neem oil will kill Japanese beetles before they become adults. Since then Neem oil Being non-toxic, you can just spray it on your affected plants.
Here’s how it works: When the male beetle swallows Neem oilThey pass it on to the egg. Then, the scaly Japanese beetle larvae eventually die before becoming adults. The best way to kill Japanese beetles with neem oil is to spray the oil before the beetles enter their adult stage so that they consume it before mating.
5. Use raw cover during peak feeding periods.
A Row cover The best solution may be to stop a Japanese beetle infestation before it starts. Row covers provide protection by keeping Japanese beetles out, but are still good enough to let in light and some moisture, which allows plants to grow.
Row cover is best used during the peak feeding period for beetles, which typically runs from mid-June to mid-August. Covers come in a variety of sizes and can be used over shrubs or trees or over your flowers, ornamental plants or garden vegetables.
6. Bring parasitic nematodes to eat Japanese beetle grubs.
Nematodes are a type of parasitic roundworm that can live in a variety of environments and feed on everything from plants and bacteria to humans and animals. In the fight against Japanese beetles, certain nematodes can be used to control the pest in its grub stage.
Two species of parasitic nematodes are considered most active in controlling Japanese beetles and other pests: Steinernema And HeterohabditisAlthough only Heterohabditis Available commercially. This Beneficial insects Can be purchased at most garden stores and online and is usually sold in containers that can be refrigerated for up to 2 months. Just follow the instructions on the package, and apply with any pesticide applicator.
7. Plant geraniums near the plants you want to protect.
Another way to control Japanese beetles is to add specific plants to your garden. Scientists say Geranium This is a natural way to help keep pesky insects from destroying other nearby plants.
The US Department of Agriculture reports that “within 30 minutes of eating geranium petals, the beetle turns over on its back, its legs and antennae slowly curl, and it remains paralyzed for several hours. The beetles usually recover within 24 hours, but they often commit suicide and die after they die.”
8. Prune rose buds and treat rose bushes before they bloom.
A good way to prevent Japanese beetles from destroying your prized rose bushes is to cut off any rose buds and treat the bushes before they bloom.
After the first flush of the season, try cutting the roses back a little further than usual. Doing this can help ensure that any beetles hanging around will be removed before the flower blooms again. When you’re done mowing, remove any remaining beetles by hand.
In addition, you can always cover your roses with bushes Mesh plant netting (found at most gardening stores) or spray any affected plants with neem oil to prevent late grubs from becoming adults.
9. Avoid grouping together plants that attract Japanese beetles in your garden.
Japanese beetles prefer certain plants. “Research has also shown that natural sugar content and the presence of odorants are important factors in determining a plant’s susceptibility to attack by Japanese beetle adults. For example, plants with high amounts of the sugar dextrose are more damaged by adult beetles than plants with low amounts of dextrose.”
Thus, one way to prevent Japanese beetles is to avoid grouping plants that attract these invasive pests. Hypersensitive plants you should avoid grouping include both Japanese and Norway maple, birch, crabapple, cherry, raspberry, rose, plum, and grapes.
Final thoughts
Although Japanese beetles are harmless to humans, they can leave a trail of destruction behind when it comes to plants and trees in your yard and garden.
It is best to prevent infestations of these invasive insects early, some tried-and-true methods of getting rid of these invasive insects when they appear include removing them by hand, using a homemade soap and water solution that suffocates them, spraying affected plants with neem oil, and using Beetle traps. Additionally, being proactive can help reduce any infestation. Avoid grouping susceptible plants in groups, pinch off rose buds, and try to introduce parasitic nematodes into your landscape to feed on Japanese beetle grubs.
FAQ
Japanese beetles are about ⅓ to ½ inch long and have metallic green heads with coppery-brown wing covers. Additionally, if you look at their belly, they will have white patches of hair. When it comes to larvae, they will be C-shaped with a white to cream-colored body and a tan-colored head.
Japanese beetles feed on about 300 species of plants. While a single beetle does not eat much, they tend to feed in groups and can eat entire plants, causing serious damage. They will eat everything from flowers and fruits to leaves and stems.
Japanese beetles are harmful to humans and pets. The legs of these insects have rough spines that feel prickly if you feel them on your skin, but they do not bite. It is your plants and shrubs that you should be concerned about.
The Japanese beetle’s life cycle begins in the soil, where they will begin as such grubs and grow for 10 months before reaching full size. From there they will emerge as adults and live for 30 to 45 days before dying.
Japanese beetles lay their eggs in the soil about 2 to 3 inches below. Females lay up to 60 eggs during their lifetime. A Japanese beetle egg will take about 10 months to develop before it hatches into an adult.
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