Homegrown: Prepare for the Japanese beetle invasion

Already I've seen my nemesis, the Colorado potato beetle,  at the city garden that I lease in Cedar Rapids. Now comes a reminder of another destructive pest that we'll be seeing in a month or so.

Cedar Rapids city arborist, Todd Fagan, sent the following today:

 The Japanese beetle is a highly destructive exotic plant pest. In the United States, the beetle entered without its natural enemies and found a favorable climate with an abundant food supply.

 To control the Japanese beetle, an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program is needed. Several potential tactics are available, including chemical and biological controls, habitat modification and trapping.

Systemic insecticides are effective, but need to be applied in mid to late May at the latest in order to protect plant material when the beetles emerge in June. In addition, lawn treatments to control grubs should be a part of the management program. Canopy sprays are not as effective as this two pronged approach.

Mechanical traps can help to reduce beetle populations; however, you must remember that the traps will draw beetles to your property. Therefore, place traps at the borders of your property, away from plants the beetles may damage.

The Japanese beetle can be a destructive pest of trees, plants and turf. It is important to understand that an IPM program will not eliminate all Japanese beetles from your property but it can help you reduce the damage inflicted by this pest.