How Do You Kill Japanese Beetles On Fruit & Berries?
The Japanese beetle was introduced to North America from Japan in the beginning of the 20th century. In its native country, the 3/8-inch-long metallic-green beetle lacks the grassland to lay eggs and does not cause a problem; the surviving insects are easily controlled by natural predators. In the U.S., however, the beetles have become one of the most serious pests because pasture is plentiful. While the larvae eat the roots of plants, preferring grasses, the adult beetles feast on the leaves and fruit of around 300 different types of plants, including fruit trees. The adults lay eggs in June, which hatch in July, and the beetles feed on host plants between July and September, emerging at around 9 a.m. and returning underground at around 3 p.m. Damage caused by Japanese beetles can be identified by the skeletal leaves left behind. The larva can be told apart from those of other species by v-shaped hairs on its posterior. Grass being eaten by the larvae often dies and can be picked up l
