Did you know that scientists have identified approximately 1 million insect species in the world? Sounds like a gardener should just pack things up and go home with that overwhelming statistic. But the truth is that only 1% of insects damage our garden plants. That’s not so discouraging after all.
Japanese beetles are one of those that does cause damage in the garden, so it’s wise to learn to control them in your organic garden.
Be sure to positively identify any insect in your garden before taking action. The mature Japanese beetle is about 1/2″ long and is metallic green with copper or bronze wings. The larvae is found underground and is a fat, C-shaped grub that is gray to white and about 1″ long.
Both the grub and the mature insect are destructive with the larvae feeding on the roots of grass causing brown patches. The beetle causes skeletonization of the leaves of garden plants like beans, grape vines, zinnia, raspberries, and more.
Good Bug Bad Bug by Jessica Walliser |
Preventing Japanese Beetle Damage
As with all disease and insect damage in the garden, building healthy soil will help to prevent problems. That does not mean that you will never have to control Japanese beetles, but healthy soil will go a long way in reducing problems.
Your lawn is the first place to look for grub damage as this is where the beetle will overwinter. Patches of brown grass that can be easily rolled up are often a sign of grubs. Controlling the larvae in your lawn will mean less adult beetles to control in the garden.
The female beetle lays its eggs in the late summer. Since the eggs and newly hatched grubs require moisture to survive, it is recommended that you allow your lawn to go dormant rather than water it, especially during the late summer. This will go a long way in reducing the population of Japanese beetles in your garden.
Hand picking beetles is a very effective control, especially if the population is not large. I have gotten to the point where I am not squeamish about crushing the beetles with my bare hands. I realize that not everyone is willing to do that. Wearing gloves may help, but dexterity is hindered with gloves. Another option is to push them into a jar of soapy water where they will perish.
Organic Products that Control Japanese Beetle Grubs
Many years ago we realized that we had a problem with grubs in our lawn. If you notice that you have moles in your lawn, that is a sure sign that you have have grubs which have attracted the moles. We very successfully treated our lawn with beneficial nematodes, and to this day the Japanese beetle population in our garden is slight.
Beneficial nematodes are a living organism that parasitize grubs. The species Heterorhabditis spp. or Steinernema carpo-capsae are effective on Japanese beetle grubs.
Using milky spore, a naturally occurring bacterium, is another effective method of controlling grubs in the soil.
Do Japanese Beetle Traps Work
Traps to attract Japanese beetles contain natural pheromones which draw the beetle into a bag where they cannot escape. They work amazingly well, but can actually do more harm than good.
These traps draw large numbers of beetles from sometimes great distances; many of these never make it into the trap itself, thus increasing the number of Japanese beetles in your area. Consequently, they are generally not recommended to use.
If you must use traps, it is best to place them well away from your garden so that you are not attracting more beetles to your garden area.
Other Organic Gardening Posts You’ll Love
Organic Insect Control for Your Vegetable Garden
How to Control Slugs and Snails in Your Organic Garden
How to Control Aphids in Your Organic Garden
How to Control Cabbageworms and Moths in Your Organic Garden
Preventing Late Blight in Tomatoes
Your Seeds Aren’t Germinating? Here’s Why
What Are Ramial Wood Chips and How to Use Them
Thank you for visiting Learning And Yearning. May "the LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Num 6:24-26
Leave a Reply