How To Control Beetles In Your Lawn and Garden – Ag Matters

I'll use a Neil Young song reference, even if it does show my age, but I've seen the "beetle and the damage done."  It's beetle season in CNY and that means damage in both the lawn and garden. Here are some ways to control them.

Of all the beetles you'll see, the most damaging of them all is the Japanese beetle. They're the green ones with copper wings, and if you hit the golf ball where I do, you'll see several them tumbling along in the rough.

Here are some things to know from Cornell Cooperative Extension .

• They feed on a wide variety of plants (about 300 different species) and usually begin their appearance in early summer. Watch for them especially on your vegetable plants. Many landscape plants are also magnets for these destructive pests.

• Early morning or late evening are the best times for handpicking them; that's when they are less active. You can also fill a pail with soapy water, shake your plants, and the beetles will fall into the pail and drown. If these methods are unpleasant, consider organic spray controls or insecticidal soap which will kill beetles on contact.

A large population of beetles means you have grubs, the larvae of the beetle. These grubs live in the lawn. Learn how to control the beetle grubs visiting the CCE Oneida County website click on Home & Garden Section and look under Factsheet for control of Lawn Pests.

SOURCE: Cornell Cooperative Extension -