JAPANESE BEETLE
The Japanese beetle is a highly destructive plant pest of foreign origin. Nearly 80
years ago it was first found in the United States in a nursery in southern New Jersey. This
insect is not a serious plant pest in Japan where the natural enemies keep it under control.
In the United States the beetle entered without its natural enemies and found a favorable
climate and an abundant food supply. The Japanese beetle has become a
serious plant pest and a threat to American agriculture.
The adults and grubs (the larval stage), Japanese beetles are destructive plant
pests that feed on the foliage and fruits of several hundred species of fruit trees,
ornamental trees, shrubs, vines and vegetable crops.
To capture these beetles try one of these items, just click on
JAPANESE BEETLES .
The adults leave behind skeletonized leaves and large holes in leaves. The grubs develop
in the soil, feeding on the roots of various plants and grasses and often destroying turf in
lawns, parks, golf courses, and pastures.
The adult Japanese beetle is a little less than 1/2 inch long and has a shiny,
metallic-green body and bronze-colored outer wings.
During the feeding period, females intermittently leave plants, burrow about 3 inches into
the ground, usually into turf, and lay a few eggs. This cycle is repeated until the female
lays 40 to 60 eggs.
Since the grubs are buried in the ground about 4-8 inches deep in early winter they stay
until spring rolls around and they can start their damaging journey.
In early spring, the grubs return to the turf and continue to feed on roots until late spring,
when they change into pupae. In about 2 weeks, the pupae become adult Japanese
beetles and emerge from the ground. This life cycle takes a year.
One of main enemies of these beetles is the ground mole that loves the grubs but will
ugly-up any yard by producing mounds along its path on its way to finding those grubs.
Biological Controls must be used properly to control the Japanese beetle
because insecticides can pose serious hazards to people, wildlife, and the environment.
Scientists believe that biological control agents are preferable to pesticides.
Biological control agents, listed below, last longer in the environment. More importantly,
they do not adversely affect nontarget or potentially beneficial organisms.
Beneficial nematodes, insect-eating nematodes, microscopic parasitic roundworms,
seek out grubs in the soil. These nematodes have a relationship with a single species of
bacteria. After penetrating a grub, the nematode inoculates the grub with the bacteria. This
bacteria reproduces quickly and feeds on the grub tissue. The nematode then feeds on
this bacteria and continues through its own life cycle, reproducing and ultimately killing the
grub. These nematodes are sold online and thru garden shops.
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a naturally occurring soil bacterium typically used as a
microbial insecticide that will affect only the grub not the adult Japanese beetle.
This bacteria is a stomach poison and must be ate to be effective.
Milky spore is the common name for the bacterium Bacillus popillae. These spores
germinate in the grub's gut, infect the gut cells, and enter the blood, where they multiply.
Milky spore disease can suppress the development of large beetle populations. But it
works best when applied in community-wide treatment.
Parasites, natural enemies or parasites of an exotic insect is a successfully proven
method to reduce pest populations. There are two parasites of the Japanese
beetle have been brought to the United States and the parasites are now functioning
as important biological control agents of the beetle.
Tiphia vernalis is a small parasitic wasp of the Japanese beetle grubs that
resembles a large, black, winged ant. It is believed to be throughout the Northeastern
United States and south to North Carolina. It stings a grub and puts an egg on the grub,
when it hatches the larva eats the grub.
Istocheta aldrichi is an internal parasite of the adult Japanese beetle. The
eggs are usually laid on the thorax of the female beetles, when hatched the maggot bores
into the beetle's body cavity, killing the beetle.
People can deter the population of pest insects by making the habitat less suitable for
them including plant resistant plant species and use mechanical traps to attract and trap
the adult beetles.
Properly nourished plants and trees that are healthy will deter these beetles.
When planting make more extensive use of trees, shrubs, and other plants that are not
preferred by the Japanese beetle. Select plants that are least likely to be
seriously injured.
Best Plants To Have in Your Yard
1. Magnolia
2. Redbud
3. Dogwood
4. Red maple
5. Northern red oak
6. Burning bush
7. Holly
8. Boxwood
9. Hemlock
10. Ash
11. False cypress
12. Yew
13. Juniper
14. Arborvitae
15. Spruce
16. Pine
17. Forsythia
18. Lilac
19. Clematis
20. Sweetgum
Worst Plants To Have in Your Yard
1. American linden
2. Crabapple
3. Apple
4. Japanese maple
5. Norway maple
6. Rose
7. Crape myrtle
8. Pin oak
9. Birch
10. Plum
11. Black walnut
12. Willow
13. Grape
14. Horsechestnut
15. Althea
16. Asparagus
17. Highbush blueberry
18. Sassafras
19. Virginia creeper
20. Summersweet
jim ellison enterprises
342 broken arrow
floresville, texas 78114
info@basic-info-4-organic-fertilizers.com
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