Controlling Japanese Beetles

Japanese Beetles can be identified by their copper wing covers and white tufts on the sides

Japanese Beetles are devastating pests that feed on nearly 300 different species of landscape plants, usually starting at the top of the plant and working their way downward. A single beetle is usually not a cause for concern, but a large group can cause considerable damage to your plants. Adult beetles will chew the tissue between veins of foliage, giving your plants a hollow, unsightly appearance and making them more susceptible to other diseases.

You can identify Japanese Beetles by their hard, copper colored wing covers. Measuring nearly half an inch in length, these beetles will also display small white tufts under the wing covers on each side, with an additional pair at the tip of the abdomen. Although these beetles typically attack plants in late May or early June, we have just started to receive reports of them appearing in this area, so if you haven't checked your plants yet, please do so.

Natural Controls

When possible, we always stress natural solutions to insect problems. Unfortunately, the hard body of the Japanese Beetle make them unattractive to most predators such as birds. There are a few species of parasitic flies that have shown the ability to control the beetle (especially here in the Northeast) by laying eggs that attach to the back of the beetles, but since this treatment method can take time to develop, this strategy is generally best for small infestations that will allow the larvae time to hatch while damage levels remain low.

Collecting Beetles

Another alternative for low levels of activity is hand collecting. Since the presence of beetles on a plant attracts more beetles, by removing beetles daily by hand from a plant you can stop the proliferation of these pests. The easiest way to remove beetles from small plants is to shake the plants early in the morning (about 7 a.m.) when temperatures are low and the beetles are sluggish. The beetles may be killed by shaking them into a bucket of soapy water.

Trapping Beetles

Japanese Beetle traps attract the beetles with two types of baits. One mimics the scent of female beetles and is highly attractive to males. The other bait is a sweet-smelling food-type lure that attracts both sexes. This combination of ingredients is such a powerful attractant that traps can draw in thousands of beetles in a day.

Since these traps can often be too effective and end up drawing even more beetles to the area, strategic site placement is critical to the success of this method. Place your traps away from your landscape on the outskirts of your property in an attempt to not only catch these critters, but also to lead them away from your plants in general.

Insecticides

If a problem is more severe and natural methods of collecting or trapping beetles simply won't work, an approved insecticide is usually the next course of action. Since garden environments and the level of the problem dictate the best chemical treatment, we recommend that you contact us here at Estabrook's and speak with one of our garden professionals about the best treatment method.

The Front Yard is Part of Your Home!

Meredith Kennedy
Plan Before You
Plant Designer

Creating a beautiful, welcoming front yard is a wonderful way to express yourself and give your home warmth and personality. Try to envision your front yard as another room of your house. It should convey your sense of style through shape, texture and color. Although working with living elements that change with the seasons and grow over time is challenging, the rewards are great.

Let your front yard tie your home to the landscape. Take cues from your architecture, neighborhood and surrounding environment. The style of your home plays a large role in the design of your landscape: formal, informal, contemporary, rustic, colonial, cottage. The area surrounding your home should be reflected in your design: wooded, seaside, field, waterside. And consider the color of your home - a color coordinate landscape flows.

Create a welcoming entry. A front entry is the gateway to your home, so make it the focal point. This is where you meet and greet family and friends. The entry should be warm and inviting with enough space to enter and objects to attract the eye.

See what Plan Before You Plant can do for you!
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Front yards need to work. Since your front yard is the most public place of your home, they need to function as well as be attractive. Each yard needs a practical way to get from the drive to the main entry. Although utilitarian, a path or walkway can be more than a just getting from point A to point B. Well designed walks can create a mood. A gently curving walk is an invitation to slow down and enjoy. Straight concrete walk can soften with plantings and points of interest.

A welcoming front yard and entry is a wonderful way to express your creativity, and add interest and value to your home. If you'd like some help expressing yourself, Estabrook's now offers Plan Before You Plant – landscape design assistance for the homeowner.