Whats the best way to control Japanese Beetles?
Japanese Beetles, Popillia japonica, overwinter in the soil as grubs feeding on the roots of a wide variety of grasses in both lawns and pastures. Once they have completed their life-cycle as grubs and pupa, they emerge as adults that feed on an even wider variety of plant materials. Generally, they consume leaf tissue between the veins, as well as portions of blossoms and fruit. Mated females burrow into the ground to a depth of about 3 inch to lay the fertilized eggs which hatch into grubs in about two weeks. The grubs do their most feeding damage in September and October and emerge as adults anywhere from early Spring to early Summer dependent upon the weather. They are most vulnerable to control measures in the grub stage using beneficial nematodes. The eggs are subject to desiccation and keeping the top surface of the grass areas dry is reasonably effective as a preventive measure. If drainage tends to be slow, increase drainage by aeration or adding organic material to the soil.
