Japanese Beetles

It’s that time of year again…Japanese Beetles have returned! The long metallic green beetles with copper-brown wing covers are here to attack and eat all sorts of plants. The adult Japanese Beetle emerges from under your lawn in June to begin feeding. They usually stay active for 4-6 weeks beginning in late June. An individual beetle will live from 30-45 days. They feed on about 300 species of plants. They devour leaves, flowers and overripe or wounded fruit. They tend to feed in groups starting at the top of the plant and working their way down. The damage done to your plants is not from just one beetle. It is from a whole group that destroys everything.

At Strange’s our certified horticulturist recommends a few different products.

1. BEETLE TRAPS- These traps have both male and female lure attached to them, so you draw both sexes at the same time. Once the beetles are trapped in the bag, they’re not getting out, so you never have to worry about them again!
2. SEVIN- Sold in either powder or crystal and contains carbaryl. As the beetle eats whatever has been covered with Sevin, they ingest the chemical and they die. If you want a safer product use Eight from Bonide.
3. HARI KARI- Used as a contact killer. You see ‘em you spray ‘em, you kill ‘em.
4. MILKY SPORE- An organic long term treatment. Apply from April to October any time the ground isn’t frozen to prevent spread of grubs. As the spore works down into the soil, the grubs come along, ingest the soil, and the spore multiplies within the grubs so they die. When the grub dies, the spores are redistributed back into the soil so that more grubs can pick them up and follow through on the cycle.
5. K-NEEM - Neem is an organic product produced from the oil of the neem tree. It is extremely effective at controlling Japanese beetles, along with other insects. It will even treat powdery mildew.