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Managing theJapanese Beet le:A Homeow nersHandbook

United StatesDepartment ofAgriculture

Animal andPlant HealthInspectionService

Program Aid No. 1599


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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibitsdiscrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis

of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability,political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status.(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Personswith disabilities who require alternative means for communi-cation of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape,etc.) should contact USDAs TARGET Center at (202) 7202600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director,Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14thand Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250

9410 or call (202) 7205964 (voice and TDD). USDA is anequal opportunity provider and employer.

Mention of companies or commercial products does notimply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture over others not mentioned. USDAneither guarantees nor warrants the standard of any productmentioned. Product names are mentioned solely to reportfactually on available data and to provide specific informa-tion.

This publication discusses the use of pesticides. All uses ofpesticides must be registered by appropriate State and/orFederal agencies before they can be recommended.

CAUTION: Pesticides can be injurious to humans, domesticanimals, desirable plants, and fish or other wildlifeif theyare not handled or applied properly. Use all pesticidesselectively and carefully. Follow recommended practices forthe disposal of surplus pesticides and pesticide containers.

Issued July 1997Revised April 2004

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The Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica Newman) is ahighly destructive plant pest of foreign origin. It wasfirst found in the United States in a nursery in southernNew Jersey in 1916. In its native Japan, where thebeetle's natural enemies keep its populations in check,this insect is not a serious plant pest.

In the United States, however, the beetle enteredwithout its natural enemies and found a favorableclimate and an abundant food supply. By 1972, beetleinfestations had been reported in 22 States east of theMississippi River and also in Iowa and Missouri. Sincethen, the pest has spread to Southern and WesternStates, but tough regulations and careful monitoring

have prevented its establishment there. Without itsnatural checks and balances, the Japanese beetle hasbecome a serious plant pest and a threat to Americanagriculture.

This map shows parts of the United Statescurrently infested by the Japanese beetle.

Managing the Japanese Beet le:

A Homeow ners Handbook


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Both as adults and as grubs (the larval stage), Japa-nese beetles are destructive plant pests. Adults feedon the foliage and fruits of several hundred species offruit trees, ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, and fieldand vegetable crops. Adults leave behind skeletonizedleaves and large, irregular holes in leaves. The grubsdevelop in the soil, feeding on the roots of variousplants and grasses and often destroying turf in lawns,parks, golf courses, and pastures.

Today, the Japanese beetle is the most widespread

turf-grass pest in the United States. Efforts to controlthe larval and adult stages are estimated to cost morethan $460 million a year. Losses attributable to thelarval stage alone have been estimated at $234 millionper year$78 million for control costs and an addi-tional $156 million for replacement of damaged turf.

How To Recognize the JapaneseBeet les Life Stages

The adult Japanese beetle is a little less than 1/2 inchlong and has a shiny, metallic-green body with bronze-colored outer wings. The beetle has six small tufts ofwhite hair along the sides and back of its body underthe edges of its wings. The males usually are slightly

The Japanese beetle adultan attractive pest.

A typical cluster of Japanesebeetle eggs.


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smaller than the females. You are most likely to see theadults in late spring or early summer.

During the feeding period, females intermittently leaveplants, burrow about 3 inches into the groundusuallyinto turfand lay a few eggs. This cycle is repeateduntil the female lays 40 to 60 eggs.

By midsummer, the eggs hatch, and the young grubsbegin to feed. Each grub is about an inch long whenfully grown and lies in a curled position. In late autumn,the grubs burrow 4 to 8 inches into the soil and remaininactive all winter. This insect spends about 10 monthsof the year in the ground in the larval stage.

In early spring, the grubs return to the turf and con-tinue to feed on roots until late spring, when theychange into pupae. In about 2 weeks, the pupaebecome adult beetles and emerge from the ground.This life cycle takes a year.

Homeowner Control

No quick fixes can rid homeowners of the Japanesebeetle once it becomes established. However, scien-tists with the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA)Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Animal and

Japanese beetle larva. Japanese beetle pupa.

F.P.O


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What Is IPM?

The IPM concept comes from the realization thatany disruption of a pest population will affect not onlytargeted pests but beneficial organisms in the ecosys-tem as well. Decisionmakers who choose IPM areattempting to manage pests, not to eradicate them,while at the same time exerting minimal impact onthe environment.

IPM uses biological, cultural, mechanical, and chemi-

cal controls to keep pest populations below levels thatcause economic damage. And, because tolerance tothe presence of insect pests varies among individuals,the choice of methods will reflect the managementobjectives and control philosophy of the user. Compo-nents of an IPM program for any pest include survey,problem delineation and selection of control methods,application of controls, and evaluation of their success.

Why Follow an IPM Program?

Homeowners should consider the following reasonsfor implementing an IPM program:

Automatically and routinely applying pesticides canbe counterproductive, economically wasteful, andenvironmentally unsound.

The Japanese beetle is here to stay. Therefore, wemust learn to live with or manage this insect pestwhile attempting to minimize its impacts.

It is not necessary to eliminate the beetle in order toprotect your trees, plants, and lawn.

It is hard to predict when and where Japanese beetle

populations will increase, and there is no guaranteedcontrol formula to follow. Consequently, intermittentmonitoring and appropriate planning are necessaryfor adequate management.

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Survey Methods

In order to plan and implement appropriate controlstrategies for the Japanese beetle, you must firstsurvey your property for both grubs and adult beetles.

Traps for adult beetles operate primarily with twochemical lures. A combination of a pheromone, orsex attractant, and a floral lure attract both male andfemale adult beetles to the trap. Then, as a result oftheir clumsy flying and the design of the trap, they end

up caught in either the bag or funnel portion of the trap.

Japanese beetle traps can be used to assess thebeetle population in a given area. For instance, if youput a trap out while the adults are flying and find thatbeetles fill the trap in 1 day, you probably have aJapanese beetle problem. If, during a week, the bottomof the trap is barely filled, you probably do not need to

be concerned. Adult beetles can fly long distances, sothose caught in your yard may have come from severalhundred yards away. For this reason, it is difficult toestimate the number of grubs in your turf from adulttrap catches.

To survey for grubs, you need to calculate the numberof Japanese beetle grubs per square foot in your lawn.This estimate is important for deciding the severity of

your white-grub problem and whether treatment isnecessary.

Japanese beetle grubs can be sampled in late summer(August to October) and late spring (April to June).Timing will vary by geographic location.

If your lawn has brown or dead areas, during thenormal growing season, survey near the edge of the

damage. If you find that grubs are the cause of thedamage, clearly this area should be treated. Other-wise, take several randomly selected samples through-out the lawn. The density of Japanese beetle grubsoften varies widely within a small area, so by takingseveral samples, you may be able to pinpoint thedamage and therefore selectively treat specific areasrather than the whole lawn.

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Using a shovel, dig a square hole 8 by 8 by 3 inchesdeep in the turf. Turn the sod over on some newspaperand search the grass roots and the soil in the hole forgrubs. Turn the turf back into the hole and add water tohelp the grass recover. Record the number of grubsfound in the sample location so you can map out oraverage grub densities. To convert these numbers tothe number of grubs per square foot, multiply them by2.25. Generally, you should consider treating areas inyour lawn with more than 10 grubs/ft 2.

Control Methods

To control the Japanese beetle, several potentialtactics are available. The choice of method will reflectthe management objectives and control philosophy ofthe homeowner.

Chemical Controls

Homeowners who decide to use chemical methodsin an IPM approach to Japanese beetle managementshould base their decision on several factors. Choos-ing what pesticide to apply and when to apply it comesdown to a value judgment for the individual. First, youmust assess the risks and benefits of pesticide use.

Correct timing and application are probably the mostessential elements for success with pesticide applica-tions. Because pesticides are toxic materials, usersmust read and follow label directions exactly! Whenused improperly, insecticides can pose serious haz-ards to people and wildlife. There is also increasingconcern about the fate of insecticides in the environ-ment and the potential of pesticide runoff to cause

water contamination.

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terorhabditis

Each State has its own agricultural chemicals hand-book, updated yearly for appropriate control recom-mendations. The following chemicals are effective foruse in the control of the Japanese beetle adult and itsgrubs:

Regulated Chemicals for Adults:AcephateCarbarylMalathion

MethoxychlorRotenone

Regulated Chemicals for Larvae:Imidacloprid (Merit Insecticide for

turf; Marathon for nursery use)BendiocarbIsofenphosChlorpyrifos

Diazinon

These lists do not include all materials registered forJapanese beetle control. For further details regardingchemical controls, consult your local CooperativeExtension Service. Before using any of these chemi-cals, check the label for particular formulations regis-tered for Japanese beetles, read the entire label, and

carefully follow application instructions regardingapplication methods and recommended rates.

Biological Controls

Homeowners who choose biological methods tocontrol Japanese beetle populations can successfullyuse parasites, nematodes, fungi, or other biologicallybased approaches. Some of these agents are com-

mercially available to homeowners; others are not.While they take a little longer to produce the sameresults as insecticides, biological control agents lastlonger in the environment. More importantly, they donot adversely affect nontarget or potentially beneficialorganisms.

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bacteriophora


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NematodesInsect-eating nematodesmicroscopicparasitic roundwormsactively seek out grubs in thesoil. These nematodes have a mutualistic symbioticrelationship with a single species of bacteria. Uponpenetrating a grub, the nematode inoculates the grubwith the bacteria. The bacteria reproduce quickly,

feeding on the grub tissue. The nematode then feedson this bacteria and progresses through its own lifecycle, reproducing and ultimately killing the grub.

The two nematodes that are most effective againstJapanese beetle grubs are Steinernema glaseriandHeterorhabditis bacteriophora. The latter is commer-cially available.

When using nematodes, remember they are aliveand have a fairly high oxygen requirement. They aretypically sold on a carrier, which they can survive onfor a month or 2 under cool conditions. They can beapplied with any standard insecticide applicator. Once

A dissected Japanese beetle larva showing later stagesof the Heterorhabditis bacteriophoranematode.

9glaseri

Steinernema

Photo 9A


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mixed with water, nematodes must be applied fairlyquickly. Follow accompanying directions carefully forbest results.

Nematodes may be purchased in lawn and gardenshops or through biological mail-order catalogs.

Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt)Bt is a naturallyoccurring soil bacterium typically used as a microbialinsecticide. The Bt strain registered for the Japanesebeetle is for use on the grub stage only. Bt is a stom-

ach poison and must be ingested to be effective. Applyit to the soil as you would insecticides. Effectiveness issimilar to that of insecticides. Check with your exten-sion agent regarding the availability of Bt.

Milky SporeMilky spore is the common name forspores of the bacterium Bacillus popillae. This bacte-rium was first registered for use on turf in suppression

of the Japanese beetle grub in the United States in1948.

Upon ingestion, these spores germinate in the grubsgut, infect the gut cells, and enter the blood, wherethey multiply. The buildup of the spores in the bloodcauses the grub to take on a characteristic milkyappearance.

Milky spore disease builds up in turf slowly (over 2 to 4years) as grubs ingest the spores, become infected,and die, each releasing 12 billion spores back intothe soil. Milky spore disease can suppress the devel-opment of large beetle populations. But it works bestwhen applied in communitywide treatment programs.Check with your extension agent regarding the avail-ability of milky spore material.

ParasitesReleasing natural enemies or parasitesof an exotic insect is a successfully proven method toreduce pest populations. Introduced parasites must beshown to be host specific (that is, to parasitize only thetarget pest) before USDA approves releasing them.Two such parasites of the Japanese beetle have beenbrought to the United States from Asia. Researchershave successfully established these insects in areas

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inhabited by the Japanese beetle, and the parasitesare now functioning as important biological controlagents of the beetle.

Tiphia vernalis, a parasite of the Japanese beetle grub,and Istocheta aldrichi, a parasite of the adult, havebeen shown to be important in regulating the popula-tion dynamics of the beetle in many areas of theNortheastern United States.

These parasites are not yet commercially available;

however, you can contact your local extension agentto see if they are established in your area. If they are,planting the appropriate food plants will attract theseparasites and increase the rates of parasitization,and thus help control the Japanese beetle on yourproperty.

Tiphia vernalisThis small, parasitic wasp of Japa-

nese beetle grubs resembles a large, black, wingedant. Its current distribution is believed to be through-out the Northeastern United States and south toNorth Carolina.

After a brief period of feeding and mating during thespring, the female wasp digs into the soil, paralyzesa beetle grub by stinging, and then deposits an egg onthe grub. When the egg hatches, the emerging wasp

larva consumes the grub.

Food sources: Adult wasps of this species feed almostexclusively on the honeydew of aphids associated withthe leaves of maple, cherry, and elm trees and peo-nies. The nectar of tulip poplars has been found to bean important food source for the adult wasps.

Istocheta aldrichiThis solitary fly is an internal

parasite of the adult Japanese beetle. The femaleflies are capable of depositing up to 100 eggs during aperiod of about 2 weeks. The eggs are usually laid onthe thorax of the female beetles. Upon hatching, themaggot bores directly into the beetles body cavity,killing the beetle.

Because it does not take this fly long to kill the beetle,

I. aldrichican suppress Japanese beetle populationsbefore beetles can reproduce.


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Food sources: I. aldrichiis commonly seen feedingon aphid nectar deposited on Japanese knotweed(Polygonum cuspidatum), a persistent perennial weednative to Japan.

Habitat ManipulationSometimes people cansuppress the population of pest insects by makingthe habitat less suitable for them. Cultural methodstypically employed in the control of the Japanesebeetle include planting resistant plant species and

using mechanical traps designed to attract and trapthe adult beetles.

Diseased and poorly nourished trees and plants areespecially susceptible to attack by beetles. Therefore,keep your trees and plants healthy. Also, prematurelyripening or diseased fruit is very attractive to beetles.Remove this fruit from the trees and the ground. Theodor of such fruit will attract beetles, which are then in

a position to attack sound fruit.

Pay particular attention to well-maintained turf grassesshowing patches of damage, especially in middle orlate August, as these areas are attractive to femaleJapanese beetles for egglaying.

Although the Japanese beetle feeds on almost 300species of plants, it feeds sparingly or not at all on

many cultivated plants. The various kinds of plantson your property can significantly influence the sus-ceptibility of your property and plants to Japanesebeetle damage. Having a well-dispersed mixture thatfavors nonpreferred species can reduce the level ofbeetle-caused damage.

Susceptible and Resistant Flora

When beetles are abundant, damage to plants canbe minimized by using species that are immune to orseldom attacked by the insect. When planting a newornamental or modifying established plantings, makemore extensive use of trees, shrubs, and other plantsthat are not preferred by the beetle. Select plants thatare least likely to be seriously injured. Use the follow-

ing list as a guide for determining what plants tocultivate on your property, and what plants to stayaway from.12


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Keeping JB at Bay: Best and WorstPlants To Have in Your Yard*

20 Woody Plants Resistant to Adult JapaneseBeetle Feeding

1. Red maple Acer rubrum2. Boxwood Buxusspp.3. Hickory Caryaspp.4. Redbud Cercisspp.5. Tulip poplar Liriodendron tulipifera

6. Dogwood Cornusspp.7. Burning-bush Euonymusspp.8. Forsythia Forsythiaspp.9. Ash Fraxinusspp.

10. Holly Ilexspp.11. Juniper Juniperusspp.12. Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua13. Magnolia Magnoliaspp.

14. Spruce Piceaspp.15. Pine Pinusspp.16. Northern red oak Quercus rubrum17. Lilac Syringaspp.18. Yew Taxusspp.19. Arborvitae Thujaspp.20. Hemlock Tsugaspp.

* These plant lists do not document all the species that are suscep-tible or resistant to Japanese beetle attack. Please consult yourlocal county extension personnel for more information.

Woody Plants Susceptible to Adult JapaneseBeetle Feeding

Primary:

1. Japanese maple Acer palmatum

2. Norway maple Acer platanoides3. Crape-myrtle Lagerstroemia indica4. Apple, crabapple Malusspp.5. Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia6. Plum, apricot,

cherry, peach Prunusspp.7. Pin oak Quercus palustris


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8. Sassafras Sassafras albidum9. American

mountain-ash Sorbus americana10. Linden (American,

European) Tiliaspp.

Secondary:

1. Horse-chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum2. Althaea Althaeaspp.

3. Birch Betulaspp.4. Summer-sweet Clethraspp.5. Hawthorn Crataegusspp.6. Beech Fagus grandifolia7. Black walnut Juglans nigra8. Larch Larix laricina9. Lombardy poplar Populus nigravar. italica

10. Willow Salixspp.

20 Herbaceous Plants Resistant to Adult JapaneseBeetle Feeding

1. Ageratum Ageratumspp.2. Columbine Aquilegiaspp.3. Dusty-miller Centaurea cineraria,

Lychnis coronaria4. Begonia Begoniaspp.

5. Lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis6. Coreopsis Coreopsisspp.7. Larkspur Delphiniumspp.8. Foxglove Digitalisspp.9. California poppy Eschscholzia californica

10. Coral-bells Heuchera sanguinea11. Hosta Hostaspp.12. Impatiens Impatiensspp.

13. Lantana Lantana camara14. Forget-me-not Myosotisspp.15. Pachysandra Pachysandraspp.16. Poppy Papaverspp.17. Moss-rose Portulaca grandiflora18. Showy sedum Sedum spectabile19. Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus20. Violet, pansy Violaspp.


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Herbaceous Plants Susceptible to Adult JapaneseBeetle Feeding

Primary:

1. Hollyhock Alcea rosea2. Dahlia Dahliaspp.3. Hibiscus Hibiscus moscheutos4. Common mallow Malva rotundiflora5. Evening-primrose Oenothera biennis6. Soybean Glycine max

7. Pennsylvaniasmartweed Polygonum pensylvanicum

8. Rose Rosaspp.9. Grape Vitisspp.

10. Sweet corn Zea mays

Secondary:

1. Clematis Clematisspp.2. Gladiolus Gladiolusspp.3. Sunflower Helianthus annuus4. Morning-glory Ipomoea purpurea5. Cardinal flower Labelia cardinalis6. Peony Paeoniaspp.7. Asparagus Asparagus officinalis8. Rhubarb Rheum rhabarbum

9. Red raspberry Rubus idaeus10. Zinnia Zinniaspp.


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Mechanical Traps

Millions of beetles are captured annually in mechan-ical traps. This method is an easy and inexpensive wayto reduce beetle populations and curtail egg laying.Under favorable conditions, a trap will capture onlyabout 75 percent of the beetles that approach it.Because the traps actually attract more beetles thanthey capture, be sure not to put traps near your gardenor your favorite plants. Put traps at the borders of yourproperty, away from plants the beetles may damage.Traps are most effective when many of them arespread over an entire community.

Homeowners who choose to give the mechanicaltraps and lures a try as part of their IPM programcan typically find them at yard and garden centers.

Traps should not stay in place year round because thelures inside get stale. Trap placement should be timed

to coincide with the emergence of adult Japanesebeetles in your area. Adults generally emerge betweenearly June and late August. Check with your extensionagent for information of the Japanese beetle flightperiod in your area.

Communication

Communication can be a valuable tool in controlling

the Japanese beetle. Talk to your neighbors regardingpossible solutions for this problem pest. Organize aneighborhood turf and garden group and develop acooperative IPM program. Invite local experts, such asextension agents or representatives from a horticul-tural society or nearby university or college, to speakto your group.

Conclusion

The Japanese beetle can be a destructive pest oftrees, plants and turf. It is important to understand thatan IPM program will not eliminate all Japanese beetlesfrom your property; however, the management optionsdiscussed here can help you reduce the damageinflicted by this pest.


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