Beetle Mania - They're Back!

Adult Japanese beetles and other plant eating beetles are emerging as adults this time of year. These insects can also be trouble in their larval stage, white grubs feeding on turfgrass roots. Treating the adults now gives a gardener immediate satisfaction, but is merely a temporary solution.

Plan ahead to decrease next year's beetle trouble. The larval stage of these pests, white grubs, show their damage to turf in August or September. That's because eggs (if present) have hatched and grub populations are sufficient enough to see turf damage. Fall treatment of grubs greatly decreases emerging adult beetles next year. This is the best long-term solution.

Ideally, the decision to treat should be based on site inspection and sampling, or past history of infestation - grubs or adults. The entire lawn will often not need to be treated. Grub "hot spots" are most likely to be full sun, south or west-facing slopes, bluegrass lawns, lawns that were heavily irrigated during June and July (egg laying time), and turf areas that were damaged by grubs in previous years.

Learn more about this now common pest in southern landscapes. The following are good places to start.

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1250/
http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/050623/beetle.shtml

Posted by smithkp at June 24, 2005 08:21 AM