Japanese Beetle Is An Invasive Species In The United States
Introduced to the United States in the early 1900s, the Japanese beetle most likely came here in the soil of ornamental plants from Japan. These beautiful scarabs are a brilliant metallic green with copper-brown wings and approximately 1/3 to half-inch long. The larvae (or grubs) of these beetles are white to cream-colored with a tan head, are up to one inch long, and are c-shaped with visible legs.
Japanese beetles feed over 300 species of plants, including the roots of plants by the larva.
Signs & Symptoms Of Japanese Beetle
Signs and symptoms of Japanese beetle in your garden include:
- Presence of mature adults
- Lacy-looking, skeletonized leaves
- Presence of grubs via irregularly shaped brown patches on the lawn
- Peeling turf from feeding grubs
Treating Japanese Beetles
Since Japanese beetles are unpalatable to predators like birds, they have very few natural predators. Instead, they must be controlled via chemical and/or organic treatments for controlling Japanese beetle. These include:
- Handpicking adult beetles from plants
- Applying insecticides like neem oil
- Selecting resistant plants like dogwood, common lilac, and red and silver maple
When handpicking Japanese beetle, do so in the morning when they are sluggish. Gently shake the plants and pick up the fallen beetles, placing them in a bucket of soapy water.
How you choose to control Japanese beetle is your choice. The ISA-certified arborists at Hansen’s Tree Service are trained and certified to apply pesticides to your trees and plants to control Japanese beetle. Schedule your hassle-free estimate today to get the best health care advice for your trees.