You may know them as “June Bugs”, but whether you call them Japanese Beetles or June Bugs, you know how much damage they can cause.

These are the friends who begin their days on your lawn as typical grub worms. They can completely destroy entire lawns during the late summer and fall months. When these grubs develop into the adult stage of their existence, they become known as Japanese Beetles, ready to destroy not only your lawn, but your trees too.

Japanese Beetles are known for eating all the soft leaf tissue from the leaves on your trees and shrubs. They leave you with a skeleton of the leaves that once existed. Once your plant is left in this state, it becomes unable to photosynthesize since the leaves’ surface is completely diminished. Without photosynthesis the plant cannot produce the sugars necessary to survive. So what can you do to prevent these critters from ravaging your plants this summer?

One way to prevent these friends is to use a product that works at the roots of your plants, allowing it to soak up the product and create a preventative shield against the beetles. I have found that the best product to use for this is Bayer Advanced. They have a line of products for different purposes: rose bushes, trees, shrubs, etc. You can purchase the granules or the concentrate that requires you to mix in the appropriate amount of water. The granules are placed in the soil around the base of the plant, whereas the concentrate mixture is poured around the base of the plant. Following the product’s instructions is extremely important!!

If the Japanese Beetles have unfortunately made their way to your plants already, then it is time to kick it into high gear. Time is precious because these pests can do serious damage quickly. I recommend you purchase Immunox made by Spectricide to immediately kill the beetles. You spray this directly onto the leaves. This product comes premixed or as a concentrate you mix with water and spray onto the plant using a larger sprayer. The concentrate makes it easier to use the product the rest of the season, spraying on the tops and bottoms of your leaves every three weeks throughout the summer.

Here is a list of plants the beetles normally target: Apple, Crabapple, Pin Oak, Japanese Maple, Norway Maple, Rose, Crape myrtle. Taking precautions to prevent Japanese Beetles from damaging your plants will leave you with a healthy landscape this year.