Japanese Beetle

Japanese beetle is the popular name of the beetle species Popillia Japonica. Originally from Japan this beetle is not as destructive in its native country as it is in the United States of America. The Japanese beetle in the USA is a serious pest to nearly 300 species of plants and crops ranging from asparagus to dahlias, from hibiscus to pepper plants, from tomatoes to zinnias. Also according to scientists from the Agricultural Research Service, the pest costs the ornamental plant industry $450 million in damage each year.

The Japanese beetle goes through four stages in its lifespan: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Eggs are hatched in autumn, feed before winter and by winter they bury themselves deep in the soil below the frost line. Come spring, they emerge to the top layer of soil and pupate into adults. The adult Japanese beetle feeds on most plants in an average American garden with luscious leaves and their feeding leads to defoliation.

Controlling the growth of the Japanese beetle may seem difficult for, a complete control of the pest requires a year long program and at different times of the year the program needs to be varied taking into account its lifecycle. However there are simple steps that can be taken to control this pest, the Japanese beetle. Firstly plant non-attractive foliage like baby's breath, false cypresses, magnolias and poppies. The adult Japanese beetle does not feed on such plants. Secondly make sure all plants in one's garden are healthy for the Japanese beetle is attracted to diseased vegetation. Thirdly, if one has plants in the garden that bears fruit; make sure to get rid of diseased or prematurely ripe fruit. The Japanese beetle is attracted to such fruit. Also chives and garlic among others act as natural repellants to the pest. Planting geraniums in the gardens help for within thirty minutes of consumption of geranium petals the Japanese beetle is paralyzed for 24 hours. During this period of paralysis the beetles are usually consumed by other insects.

While the above are mere precautionary methods that can be taken to prevent the growth of the Japanese beetle, they are not foolproof. Foolproof methods of controlling the growth of the pest are biological ones. Bacillus thuringiensis is a naturally occurring bacterium that can be applied to the soil like any insecticide to prevent the growth of the Japanese beetle. Milky spore is a bacterium that can be used to kill the Japanese beetle in the egg stage. The spore is spread on the ground and the eggs ingest this, later the spore germinates inside the egg and multiplies, killing the egg over time. This method is effective for the eggs are hatched on to the ground and the spore kills the Japanese beetle before it is even born. Parasites, such as tiphia vernalis and istocheta aldrichi, are effective in keeping the population of the Japanese beetle to a minimum.