Japanese Beetles will start to commonly appear now that we are going further into the summer season. Here are, helpful tips to help with their activity this summer!
About Japanese Beetles
Japanese beetles are shiny-metallic green, with copper brown wings, and about ⅜ inches long. They commonly live east of the Rockies and midwest in the United States. They have a 12-month life cycle and are primarily seen outside on foliage like leaves and trees. They are highly invasive species and will cause damage to any plants that they can, and often their damage can be deadly to plants.
Japanese beetles are most attracted to rose bushes, fruit, and vegetable plants; but they feed on over 300 plant species. When they feed on these sources, they damage the appearance by making holes on a blooming plant or making dead patches of grass. With their appearance, many people will leave them be as they find them interesting but also underestimate the amount of damage that they will cause.
Life Cycles
Japanese beetles have a 12-month lifecycle. There is a common e misconception that they die off once the cold season arrives. Here is an explanation of what that process looks like!
- Larvae hatches – Female Japanese Beetles can lay 1-5 eggs in a spot and put them 2-4 inches underground. Usually, this will happen in August, and stay underground to be protected from the winter cold. This is where they can absorb moisture, and even feed on the roots until late spring.
- Adult beetles leave the ground – – Adult Japanese beetles emerge from underground in late June – early July. They will release a chemical substance, called pheromones, to communicate with other beetles and attract them into the same area as them.
- Feeding season – Feeding season is very heavy in mid to late July, they primarily focus on the roots of plants and veins of leaves, which can be damaging to a plant to the point that they end up killing the source. This damaging process does start when they are feeding underground but is heavy and noticeable when they come out. After this, they restart the cycle again, preparing for the next season.
Treatment
As a company, we take in mind the importance of wanting to protect your plants and yard, especially with a difficult pest like Japanese Beetles! We have a service specifically targeted towards them, and here is some information about it.
- Specialty Service vs Regular Treatment – With our Specialty Flying Insect Service, we use a systemic product that is applied at the base and aimed toward the root. We also include a service during the early life cycle stage, which is extremely helpful with controlling summer activity. While our regular maintenance spray helps with any other pest, it has no effect on Japanese Beetle as they are more of a problem down to the root. This service has more customers feeling protected in their gardens and yard, as there is a significant effect of activity throughout the season.
- Ways to protect flowering/edible plants – We always avoid going anywhere near flowering plants and gardens around your home. With the specialty service, the product allows us to treat the base of flowering plants or trees but still avoid any edible plants. Many of our customers, and even employees, garden as a hobby, so we understand the importance of taking care of them around your home! Even if it does not include treatment, we always love giving suggestions on how to take care of your home! Our blog, Organic Pest Control For Your Garden, will help in keeping this important space protected!
To hear more about our services, or our Japanese Beetle specialty service, please contact our office at (630) 451-8101!