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How to Identify Japanese Beetles
Adult Japanese beetles grow to about ½ inch long. Their
wing covers are bronze in color while the rest of their bodies are a metallic
blue-green. The long legs of these beetles are easily visible, sticking out
from their blocky bodies with their claw-like feet.
The larvae of Japanese beetles are called grubs. They are
C-shaped and tannish-white in color. Larvae are fat and easy to see in freshly
tilled soil.
When to Look for Japanese Beetles
Late June to early July is the prime time for Japanese
beetles to make their first appearances. They feed on plants until late summer
before burrowing under grass to lay their eggs. Once the eggs hatch into
larvae, the larvae feed until cold weather moves in. Before the ground freezes,
they burrow underground until spring when they emerge to feed on plant roots.
Slowly, from May until June, larvae turn into adults continuing the life cycle.
Common Plants Japanese Beetles Attack
- Beans
- Peas
- Corn
- Tomatoes
- Trees
- Shrubs
- Fruits
- Vines
- Flowers
5 Ways to Control Japanese Beetles Organically
1. Floating Row Covers: Cover plants with floating
row covers to protect them from Japanese beetles. During mid-summer if you
notice beetles attacking uncovered plants, cover the smaller, more delicate
ones with floating row covers to keep them protected.
2. Lawn Control: When July and early August roll
around, let the lawn completely dry between waterings. This helps to control the
egg population organically by drying them out.
3. Aerate the Lawn: During late spring and early
fall, aerate the lawn to kill grubs.
4. Parasitic Nematodes: Apply these to the lawn in
early spring or late fall. During this time, grubs are in the ground where the
nematodes can feed on them.
5. Handpick the Garden Pests: Early morning is the
best time to spot Japanese beetles on plants. Handpick them and drop them into
a bucket or bottle of soapy water where they’ll drown.
Japanese beetles have the ability to chew through all the
leaves on an entire plant making it important to control them from the day they
emerge in the garden. Once they’re done feasting on one plant they’ll move on
to another. Look for brittle, skeleton-like leaves or once healthy plants
surrounded by dead foliage on the ground.
What’s Going on in Gibby’s Garden?
Japanese beetles have already begun to emerge in Gibby’s
Garden. So far they’re more interested in the catnip than the vegetable plants.
You can bet I’ll be out each morning with a bottle of soapy water handpicking
these garden pests.
FYI: Did you
know that Japanese beetles are attracted to some varieties of bamboo? I have
some growing near one of my vegetable gardens. Though I don’t care for the
plant because it spreads like crazy and is hard to get rid of, I leave a large
patch undisturbed near my garden to lore the Japanese beetles out.
Check out Gibby’s Garden Diary to see what else is going
on in the garden.
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