How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles

Beetles are the number one pest of lawns. Japanese beetles, also known as popillia japonia, are invaders that we truly need to prevent and control once invaded. They love to feed off of the yard's life, sucking out all of the nutrients. The following will help you get rid of the Japanese beetles that are lusting after your yard.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Yellow container
• Dish soap
• Beetle traps containing pheromone lures
• Milky spore
• Catnip, chives, garlic or tansy

1. Remove any trees or plants that are unhealthy or dead. Beetles love to feed on these.

2. Remove any ripened fruit from your trees. Pick up and throw away any fruit that may have fallen to the ground.

3. Set up beetle traps containing pheromone lures between the months of June and August. Place these in the sun and away from gardens.

4. Fill up a yellow container full of water. Add 2 drops of soap to the water. Beetles are attracted to this.

5. Apply milky spore, a bacterium, to the yard. This will help kill the beetles and potential beetles. Or place catnip, chives, garlic or tansy around the yard to repel beetles.

6. Shake plants that attract beetles early in the morning.

7. Apply insecticides if desired. This needs to be reapplied after rainfall. Spray insecticides need to be reapplied frequently.

Tips & Warnings

• Insecticides that have a green leaf in their label is an organic product.

Resources

• Removing beetles from yards and plans