Garden plants can suffer at the hands of bugs. Finding them all can be a never-ending task, although some grub control can be straightforward once you spot these on your favorite plants. Some you can pick, and you can use milky spore on other plants. However, things can get tough with Japanese beetles.
Once the sun sets, you may find the Japanese beetle population appears to vanish. Now, you may ask, where do these beetles go at night? Although Japanese beetles seem to vanish at night, they are merely resting in shallow nests they make a couple of inches before the soil’s surface.
In our guide, you can learn more about these beetles from Japan and how you can deal with them. By the end, you’ll better understand how to stop damage in your garden. You’ll know; you don’t need to wonder how long do Japanese beetles stay around to ravage your plants and flowers. (Read Do Potato Bug Bite)
What Time Of Day Are Japanese Beetles Most Active?
Japanese beetles typically emerge and are most active between the hours of nine in the morning to three in the afternoon.
This beetle species loves to eat and travel during the day and brighter hours, which is why you rarely see them at night.
Japanese beetles, like people, prefer to work and eat in the morning and afternoon before traveling to their underground nest and snuggle down in their nighttime nesting location in the evening.
If you’re wondering where Japanese beetles make their nests, they hide in protective foliage.
If an adult beetle is feeding at night during this time, they are Northern Masked Chafers, which have a similar seasonal activity pattern to the Japanese beetle but are nocturnal.
What Season Are Japanese Beetles Most Active?
These Japanese beetles prefer warm days; thus, they are most active from late Spring until mid-August.
Since many people associate these creatures with the summer up to mid-August, they refer to them as summer bugs, and dealing with them at these times is common.
Since adult Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) only live for two months, you won’t have to worry about the same group re-invading the following year.
However, if you are wondering when do Japanese Beetles go away, you could be in for a shock.
In turfgrass, adult female beetles lay eggs so that their young have nourishment when they hatch.
Either underground or at the base of plants, the tiny larvae develop. The female beetles lay one cluster of eggs per week for 60 to 200 eggs in their lives.
Grubs of the Japanese beetle spend months underground, and instead of sleeping, they keep eating plant roots and expanding until they are mature enough to become inch-long adults and begin feeding from mid-June to late June.
If you have grass or a row of plants, that’s an excellent area to look for tiny holes because this beetle species gathers close to dense vegetation. (Read Bedroom Little Tiny Black Bugs In House)
What Weather Do Japanese Beetles Like?
Japanese beetles are most active from early July to mid-September when you can find them hidden in plants and lawns. They emerge once the temperature reaches 70 degrees; however, they prefer a considerably warmer 85-95 degrees.
As mentioned previously, this species is more of a summer species; thus, the hotter the climate, you’ll see Japanese Beetles active.
However, if it’s warm and humid outside, Japanese beetles will emerge more regularly in your yard.
An adult Japanese beetle cannot fly if the relative humidity exceeds 60%, leaving them with no choice but to eat the entire local plant community.
However, this beetle cannot endure colder climates, so they anticipate its complete extinction once the average temperature falls below 70.
Where Do Japanese Beetles Go In The Winter?
Japanese beetles tend to perish or spend the winter as larvae in the ground. The grubs usually burrow 2 to 8 inches deeper into the soil once the first frost occurs.
Adult beetles only have a summer lifespan of about 60 days, so they no longer live by winter.
However, if a Japanese beetle adult makes it through the summer for whatever reason, it will attempt to breed and build a nest for its larvae until the weather warms up.
Are Japanese Beetles Invasive?
Japanese beetles are, unfortunately, an invasive species. Japanese beetles may wreak havoc on a garden because they eat and feed on over 300 plants, flowers, and trees.
Younger beetles, particularly grubs, are often turfgrass pests and cause an uneven lawn. This occurs as a turn of the chewing on your grass’s roots, which kills vast swaths of vegetation.
Because of this, many gardeners try to eradicate Japanese beetles as soon as possible before they may do any harm. (Read Light Bulb That Doesn’t Attract Bugs Guide)
How Do You Get Rid Of Japanese Beetles?
Time is of the essence if you see Japanese beetles flying or feeding in your yard. While many bugs can be dealt with by larger insects you’ll find in North America, they lack natural predators.
However, you can find such things as birds and raccoons will eat Japanese beetles.
Fortunately, there are many ways to get rid of this species of beetle, including:
- Handpick beetles.
- Set up a Japanese beetle trap.
- Use Neem Oil solutions.
- Making sprays from dead Japanese beetles.
- Use a trap crop such as African marigolds.
- Use nematodes in your garden.
- Avoid watering grass as the Japanese beetles prefer damp soil.
- Spray plants with soapy water.
Some methods are time-consuming, yet they are effective at getting rid of these pests from your plants.
What Makes Japanese Beetles Go Away?
A Japanese beetle will avoid areas with strong scents. Try placing some garlic, rue, or tansy close to your afflicted plants; these plants should act as a deterrent to intruders.
Japanese beetles can’t take the stench of their own death, so if you don’t mind killing a few, try spraying affected plants, trees, shrubs, or other areas around your garden with a dead beetle spray.
Spraying insecticides inside Japanese beetle nests is a quick way to finish the task because the beetles won’t survive.
Even though it can be hit or miss, some gardeners advise luring birds and other prey to get rid of Japanese beetles.
Will Japanese Beetles Ruin My Garden?
A Japanese beetle infestation will cause damage to your garden, which is unfortunate as they have established a reputation across the mid-west as fierce agricultural pests wrecking many crops.
It’s vital to stop Japanese beetles as soon as you can because they typically start with your grass before moving on to larger plants around your garden.
This can become serious if you don’t since you risk having damaged foliage, lost plants, and possibly a full-blown pest infestation. The Japanese beetle destroys plants using an industrial method.
They can destroy crops and damage gardens and grounds because of their voracity. These beetles will shred every foliage between the veins of leaves, destroying plants in large groups.
Japanese beetles strip plants by gnawing off the leaf tissue, leaving a skeleton outline that is a devastatingly recognizable calling card.
The beetle targets soft fruits, and even the larvae will feed on roots in the ground, so your plants are under attack even under the soil.
Because the grubs feed on the roots and death of the blades, lawns can end up with large brown patches covering the ground where beetles or grubs feed.
Using a pesticide should help make the management of Japanese beetles easy.
More Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Japanese Beetles
In many areas of the US, Japanese beetle damage occurs every year, but there are ways to put an end to their campaigns. (Learn How To Keep Bugs Off Broccoli Plants)
If used diligently, organic control and eradication techniques are effective.
Here are some techniques you could use:
You can quickly get rid of Japanese beetles without damaging chemicals if you prefer to keep things natural such as a cedar wood spray to keep Japanese beetles.
Sadly, the spray won’t kill the bugs; instead, it just keeps them away from your garden, making it a fantastic non-cruel solution to consider.
To stop the beetles from returning, you must spray frequently, so keep up a regular routine.
- Picking by hand: Remove these beetles off your plants and place them in a bucket of soapy water. You can wear gloves, yet they don’t have strong jaws that can bite people.
- Neem Oil: Neem oil is an organic insecticide that is effective at killing Japanese beetle larvae when consumed.
- Covering crops: Netting and covering can help limit damage, but you will need to leave the crops exposed for a while so that pollinators can access them.
- Japanese beetle traps can be purchased; they attract beetles to them. Also highly effective is a straightforward fruit trap composed of rotting fruit cocktails placed in a bucket of soapy water.
- Geraniums are the “cat-nip” of the Japanese beetle and are used as a sacrifice. They will be drawn to this plant, but after consuming it, they will become drowsy and straightforward to attract and get rid of.
- Natural predators that hunt and kill these beetles include parasitic nematodes and wasp species.
Here are some methods to prevent the Japanese beetle from coming back after you’ve told them to leave:
Pest control always depends on cultivation.
- By planting the milk spore fungus on your lawn, you can attack juvenile Japanese beetle grubs early in their season. As the larvae emerge, this will lead to their death.
- Spraying diluted soapy water on your lawn will also get rid of grubs. But, as a result, the Japanese beetle larvae will surface and become prey for birds.
- Plant decorative roses and your other favorite plants all over your property. Your crops will also be protected by companion planting.
Conclusion
Knowing when you can face a Japanese beetle infestation is crucial whether you are dealing with an infestation or are curious about them.
According to what we discovered, Japanese beetles tend to be most active in the morning and throughout the day, while they typically tend the night sleeping underground.
If you need help locating them, start by looking in your grass and near dense foliage because Japanese beetles frequently gather there.
Remember that these beetles eat over 300 plant species, so most of your garden can be at risk.
Keep a watch out for any damage to your plants, and if necessary, use a pesticide close to the Japanese beetle nests or use one of the methods above.
