This Is Not a Lady Bug!

How you can Identify Japanese Beetles

These are pests that you certainly do not want to misidentify or underestimate. They have a very distinct look with their green-blue heads and bright copper backs. Their bodies are typically between 1 to 2 inches in length and they have tanned wings. Their lives begin in your lawn as they grow and develop as larvae 10 months out of the year. They will then leave the ground during the spring as they are fully grown and on the lookout to feed and breed. These pests also like to travel in hoards. So, if you find one it is very likely there are many more where that one came from.

The damage they can do to your yard is vast and widespread as they are not very picky when it comes to their diet. To identify the source of the damage being done to your plants, Japanese beetles leave behind leaves that only have their veins left. All of the green foliage has been eaten away from your flowers, fruit plants, and vegetables. While they are not picky, they can be most attracted to roses, raspberries, and other sweet fruit plants. This is all of the noticeable damage that they will leave behind in their wake. Another damage you may not notice is the feeding they do while they are developing underground. There they feed on the roots and foliage that is buried underground. If you notice any of your winter plants deteriorating, this might be a probable cause.

How you can prevent and control the threat of Japanese Beetles

Some basic prevention tips can be done if you are hoping to reduce the number of delicious treats from your garden that they get to before you can. One way to do this is to pick all fruits and vegetables as soon as they are ripe. Leaving them there to rot away is a perfect snack to any beetles in the area, so picking these fruits that are lying around is the ideal way to begin prevention.

There are also tools you can use to help protect your beloved plants. A drop cloth can be put down overnight or in the early morning over the plants, so they fall on top of the cloth and can be disposed of before reaching the leaves. There are also a variety of insecticides you can use if a drop cloth does not peak your interest. Insecticides can be homemade or bought from a local garden center. Make sure the insecticides you are using are safe to use based on where you are living and the types of plants that you are spraying. Timeliness of the treatments of insecticides is very important and that will determine their effectiveness on pest control.

You can always call the Vogelsang Pest Management team at 314-601-1789.