These foreign invaders found mostly in the eastern United States are one of your garden's worst enemies. They're known to infest and destroy over 300 species of ornamental plants.
Geographical Region
Major Japanese beetle infestations occur from Maine heading south to North Carolina, and west as far as Minnesota, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee. Japanese beetles are increasingly becoming a problem further west, in places like Colorado.
Natural Habitat
Japanese beetles are dependent upon warm soil and abundant water. They favor large areas of turf and pasture grass for developing grubs and ornamental plants on which adults can feed.
Weather Conditions
Japanese beetles emerge at temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit—but prefer much warmer temperatures of 85-95 degrees. They are most active on warm, sunny days between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Humidity of 60% or higher retards flying and induces heavy feeding and destruction. They will not fly on cool, windy, cloudy or rainy days. Japanese beetles are responsive to light changes, seeking shelter when clouds pass over.
Infestation of adult Japanese beetles begins mid-June in southern states, and around July 4 in the Northeast and Upper Midwest.
Behavior
The adult Japanese beetle infests and destroys over 300 species of plants including flowers, vegetables and fruits in addition to a wide variety of ornamental trees and shrubs. The larval stage of the Japanese beetle wipes out lawns, feeding on grass roots.
Japanese beetles prefer infected or damaged fruit and plants to healthy ones. They also prefer plants exposed to direct sunlight. They feed on the upper surface of the foliage of ornamental plants, consuming soft tissues between the veins and leaving a lace-like skeleton. Injured leaves eventually turn brown and die.
Japanese beetles begin eating low-growing plants before moving to fruit and shade trees. Later in the season, they return to attack the lower growing plants in bloom. Favorite plants include (in order of season growth) evening primrose, rhubarb, roses, grapes, sweet cherry, sassafras, apple, cherry, plum, elm, horse chestnut, poplar, willow, hollyhock, flowering shrubs, corn, asparagus, soybeans, clover, alfalfa, poison ivy, ragweed and other weeds.
Unique Characteristics
Adult Japanese beetles are 7/16-inch long.
Their bodies are bright metallic green with copper-brown wing covers.
A row of white tufts (spots) of hair project from under the wing covers on each side of the body.
Control
Rescue's Japanese and Oriental Beetle Trap uses floral scents proven to be a natural attractant, along with the beetle's natural sex attractant. The trap uses a scientifically designed method to control the release of these natural floral and sex attractants to lure both male and female beetles to the trap. The convenient plastic cone design prevents the user from having to handle the actual attractants.
Once attracted by the pheromone scent, Japanese beetles fly into the large yellow panels of the trap and are stunned on impact. They then fall into the attached bag. Once inside, they cannot fly out of the trap.
All articles are copyrighted and remain the property of the author.
By Dan Heims, President, Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.
Photographs courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.
Terra Nova’s breeders have created a series of outstanding world-class echinaceas that are consistent in size, bloom power, color intensity and are a pollinator buffet. What’s not to like.
To learn more, click here for an interesting article.
Click here to sign up for our monthly NEWSLETTER packed with great articles and helpful tips for your home, garden and pets!
