Japanese Beetles

Summary: Japanese beetles are beautiful metallic green and copper colored insects. They feed on about 300 species of plants devouring leaves and flowers, leaving only the veins so that the foliage looks like lace. Adult Japanese beetles attack vines and trees, but also tree fruits, row crops and many other plants.

Yuri G; Cambridge, Ontario, Canada asks : How can I get rid of Japanese beetles?

Dear Yuri: Any garden pesticide will kill Japanese beetles, but it won't stop them from returning. If Japanese beetles are listed on the label, that product will kill them.

The Japanese beetle adults hatch out two times during the year and August is one of those times. The eggs and larvae can be found most anywhere in lawns, so it is unlikely that you can stop them from flying on to your property just by applying pesticides on your personal lawn or garden.

There are Japanese beetle traps that contain a sex pheromone that drives the

male Japanese beetles wild. You will catch beetles from near and far. You will fill up the traps and think you are putting a dent in their population, but you aren't really. There are millions and millions of these beetles hatching out during this seasonal period. So, in spite of the claims of these bag-a-beetle traps, you are having little effect on the Japanese beetle population in your neighborhood.

Cover tender vegetable gardens with a fine net that prevents the Japanses beetles from feeding. It's a liitle work setting up the net tents, but it works. Plus, you won't be stuck with all those smelly decaying dead and dying beetles in the beetle bag.