Have you seen me?
These beetles are velvety green, about one inch long and 1/2 an inch
wide. The top is a dull green with yellow-brown markings on the wings
and the underside is bright, metallic green with yellow-orange
markings. Larvae are creamy white, c-shaped larvae with well developed
head capsules and legs. Larvae (also called grubs) can grow over an
inch in length.
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| Green June beetle. Photo by Drees. |
Adults are large and conspicuous. They like to eat thin-skinned fruits
(such as grapes, peaches, figs and others) or fermented fruits and some
flowers. Adults may also be found on trees that are oozing sap, but the
beetles are not causing the sap to ooze from the tree. Larvae feed in
the soil and eat plants such as turfgrass, vegetables and ornamental
plants. Grubs often will emerge from the soil at night and crawl on
their backs instead of using their short legs. Grubs may cause small
mounds of soil on the turf that may be mistaken for fire ant mounds or
earthworm castings.
To check for grubs, which are the damaging stage, cut several 4" x 4"
soil sections in different areas of the turf and look in the root zone
and soil for presence of grubs. It is possible to have grubs in the
turf and not see any damage. If a turf is kept healthy, then it can
withstand some damage from insects.
If you feel the need to treat for grubs, you can try nematodes or
pesticides. When choosing nematodes, be aware that they require moist
soil to move and parasitize prey. If you are under watering
restrictions, this may not be a feasible option. Pesticides come in
granular or liquid formulations with systemic (i.e. the active
ingredient imidacloprid) or contact (i.e. the active
ingredient cyfluthrin) modes of action. Contact products need to come
in contact with the grub for it to kill the insect, so it will require
watering in to carry any pesticide to the soil where the grubs are
located. Systemic products also require watering in, but the turf will
take up the active ingredient into the roots and the grub will get a
dose when it feeds on the turf. Granular products should be applied
with a properly calibrated spreader and then watered in. Always read
and follow all label instructions.
Cockroaches and ants! We don't want them in our houses. learn practical tips for preventing problems from these pests in this webinar presented by me, Wizzie Brown.
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