How You Can Get Rid of Japanese Beetles

Japanese Beetles bug me! If you're like me, I like my rose bushes, grape vines, and fruit trees(plum and apple) in one piece not munched on by Japanese Beetles. I love to garden. It's a great way to relax without Japanese Beetles. But, when
July rolls around so do the green metallic eating machines, the Japanese Beetles. They love munching on my plants.  The picture to your left is a bunch of Japanese Beetles.

Life Cycle

Japanese beetles mate during the summer time and lay their eggs on the ground. When the eggs hatch the larvae burrow into the ground. The larvae spends its time eating your grass roots and keep growing bigger. One year later the Adult Japanese Beetle emerges. I start seeing them in July here in Michigan.

How do you get rid of these pests?

Nature does it its best but it just isn't enough. Some natural predators are birds: meadowlark, cardinal, and golf course ducks and geese. At my in-laws condo I've seen ducks chasing the beetles on the lawn by the lake. Quite comical.

Commercial Traps

A great idea, and I've used them. But, the only problem is these beetles can detect this pherome from your neighbors and surrounding areas. They will invade your yard.

When I first put these traps out I captured a ton of them but I still had a lot more in my garden.

Beware, if you use traps, place them away from your garden. Place any traps on the outer perimeter of your yard or you will have more Japanese Beetles than you started with.

 I have used the traps. They work great. But after a few days in the sun the bugs start to decay. The smell is ripe. I've read where the smell may actuallly repel the Japanses Beetles. So what happens if you go on vacation?

If you use a trap, make sure you change the bag at the bottom of the trap often.

 The Tanglefoot trap  has venting to allow the decaying smell to escape. The trap has a wide mouth at the top for easy empyting. 

 Commercial Pesticides.

You can use commercial pesticides but I don't like the chemicals around my kids and the property. An added problem is that your beneficial bugs may be killed too. 

Natural Trapping

After  quite a bit of searching over the last few years I finally found a simple method to get rid of these pests. Even though you won't get rid of all of them, you can at least reduce their numbers.

I use a bucket of soapy water, a kid's butteryfly net, and I go hunting.   This can be a fun way to involve your children or grandchildren. My kids and our new golden retriever puppy, Mia, love to help me catch them. Happy hunting! 

Below is a list to help you get started and have fun getting rid of the Japanese Beetles in your garden.

If you choose to use a Japanese Beetle trap do not, I repeat, do not place the trap in your garden. Place the Japenese beetle trap someplace far away on your property because you will attract every Japanese Beetle in your neighborhood and beyond to that spot.

Kelly Wissink

Expert Internet Specialist