Japanese Beetle Season is Here.

Japanese beetles are now active in the landscape and can quickly cause noticeable damage to a wide range of trees, shrubs, and ornamentals.

Adults feed on foliage and flowers, often skeletonizing leaves, while larvae (grubs) damage turfgrass roots below ground. Common targets include roses, crape myrtles, linden, birch, fruit trees, and many other ornamentals.

Because populations can build rapidly in mid-summer, early detection and timely management are key. While they are virtually impossible to eliminate completely, targeted treatments can significantly reduce feeding damage and overall plant stress.

Ditch the Beetle Bags!

Japanese beetle traps (often called beetle bags) may look like a simple fix, but they actually make the problem worse.

These traps use powerful scent lures that attract beetles from a wide area. Instead of reducing damage, they can pull in more beetles than would normally be present in your yard. The result is often increased feeding on nearby trees, shrubs, and flowers before the beetles even reach the trap.

In most residential landscapes, targeted protection and timely treatments are far more effective than mass trapping.

Don’t unintentionally invite more beetles to your yard’s “salad bar”!