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| Japanese Beetle, Popillia japonica |
Organic gardens and lawns can be devastated by Japanese Beetles. Learn how you can control them with these organic solutions.
These common pests feed on over 275 plant species. This includes all deciduous tree fruits, many small fruits, vegetables, grasses, and weeds.
Many gardeners and homeowners consider the Japanese Beetle to be one of the most serious pests they face. These pests cause devastating root damage in their grub phase (particularly to lawns), but also attract various critters that will dig up your lawn searching for the grubs to eat. The adult beetles can defoliate plants faster than you can say Popilla japonica.
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| Photo Credit: UNL Entomology Department. |
Japanese beetle grubs overwinter 8-10 inches (20-25 cm) deep in the soil. As spring temperatures increase, the grubs move up in the soil to feed on grass and other small roots. They pupate in late May to June and adults start emerging in late June to mid-July. Adults live from 30 to 45 days, feed through late summer or early fall. They feed on decaying matter but soon feed on roots as they move deeper to an overwintering site.
With a comprehensice plan of attack you can control Japanese Beetles. Here’s how:
- Treat with a combination of Milky Spore and NemaSeek Beneficial Nematodes in either the spring or the fall. The nematodes help to distribute the Milky Spore. This combination of organisms also works synergistically to most effectively control the grubs. Milky Spore only has to be applied once, though works for years.
- Apply quality humus and essential soil additives. John & Bob's Soil
Optimizer is an excellent choice. Grubs don't attack healthy roots.
- Trap the adults in the summer when they emerge. Just shake them into soapy water!
- Use a neem oil product like Monterey 70% Neem Oil to control adults that elude your traps and also to discourage them from feeding.
- Treat again with NemaSeek beneficial nematodes six months after your first application to further distribute the Milky Spore and to eliminate newly developing grubs.
Click on the products below for more info and ordering. |
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| You may have a different kind of beetle if you don't live in the areas above. |
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| Japanese Beetle damage. |
Identifying Japanese Beetles:
Adult Japanese beetles are 3/8-1/2 inch (8-10 mm) long, metallic green to greenish bronze with coppery red wings and small white tufts on the sides and tip of the abdomen.
Larvae are "C"-shaped, cream-colored white grubs with brown heads that reach 3/4 - 1 inch (20-25 mm) long when mature. |
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| Japanese Beetle grub. |
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