Are Japanese Beetles taking over the world? No, but they may be taking over your yard! Japanese Beetles are in Mid Missouri and are attacking many of our landscapes plants. We receive many questions about this little bug, so we thought we would put them in one place for anyone being  graced   with their presence.

Q. Will they kill my trees and Shrubs?

A. If your trees & shrubs are healthy, it is highly unlikely that a Japanese beetle infestation will kill them. It may strip them of their leaves, but a normal healthy plant with plenty of water will grow new leaves after the feeding is over. They do stress the plants, however, much like disease or drought, we try to get out and treat them as soon as possible.

Q.  Are they going to be feeding on my plants all summer long?

A. It may seem like it but the answer is no.  They emerge in June, and their lifespan averages 45-60 days.

Q.  Why do I see more some days than others?

A. The beetles are far more active on hot sunny days than when it’s cooler. You will also see more activity on plants growing in direct sunlight; they usually don’t feed on plants in shady spots. Activity will pick up as the day progresses and then they will move back into cover overnight.

Q. Why are they still flying around after you’ve treated?

A. You will still see some activity after treatment. The majority will be wiped out when we spray, but the treatment will keep working for up to 21 days. The Japanese beetles have to land on the plants to come in to contact with the treatment and some feeding will still occur, but they will slowly disappear.

Q.  What if it rains after my treatment?

A. Our treatment begins its work on contact, plus the plant absorbs it, providing control from within as the insects feed on it. Rain will not affect the treatment itself.

Q.  Is there anything else we can do to protect or prevent the beetles?

A. Just before the adults reach the end of their life cycle, they lay their eggs in the lawn.  These will hatch into small white grubs in September, and will feed on the roots of your grass until the soil temperature drops. A grub application is a really good idea to control them while they are small.  If you’ve already had one this summer to prevent white grubs, it will help control these new grubs as well.

Q.  If I notice them feeding on my trees, should I hang one of those traps from the tree until you can get here to treat?

A. The traps that you may have seen your neighbor using or on the shelf at the store are actually pheromone traps, so they will not only attract the beetles coming out of your lawn, but beetles from all over the area.  We strongly recommend avoiding them!

Have a bug problem of your own? We can help!