How to get rid of Japanese beetles in your garden

Japanese beetles are iridescent green beetles that devour a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and vegetables. They were accidentally introduced to North America in the early 1900s and spread quickly without natural predators.

Signs of damage
Japanese beetles chew leaf tissue between the veins, leaving a lacy skeleton. Therefore, if you see this, it’s a telltale sign of their presence. Dead, brown patches on your lawn can also signify Japanese beetles because the grubs damage the grass when overwintering in the soil.

Treatment
Hand-picking adult beetles from affected plants and dropping them into a bucket of soapy water is one of the best ways to eliminate them from your garden.

In addition, neem oil is a natural pesticide that you can apply to affected plants. Adult beetles ingest the oil and pass it to their eggs, killing the larvae before they become adults.

Finally, another great option is covering your plants with netting before the beetles infest your garden. You can purchase row covers from your local nursery or garden store.