JAPANESE BEETLE
This beetle is a common pest found in trees, shrubs and gardens throughout Vaughan during the
summer months. Read below to learn more:
Figure One: Adult Japanese
Beetle
Japanese beetles are destructive plant pests both as adults and larva. Adults feed on the
foliage and fruit of several hundred plant species, including but not limited to: elm,
maple, grape vine, peach, apple, apricot, cherry, plum, rose, zinnia, corn, asparagus,
soybean, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Adult beetles eat the tender tissues
between the veins of the leaves of plants that it attacks
leaving behind brown, skeletal remains (Figure
Three). The larva develop in the soil, feeding on the roots
of various plants and grasses and often destroying turf in
lawns, parks and golf courses.
What can be done to save your plants/ trees from the Japanese Beetle?
The City of Vaughan Parks & Forestry Operations Department does not spray for
Japanese Beetle. Although it is a nuisance in some years, it is generally not fatal to
plants or turf. However, there are non-chemical ways to control the Japanese
Beetle population around your yard such as:
Figure Three: Japanese Beetle Damage
Figure Two: Japanese beetle
Larva under turf
1. Hand pick and dispose of the first beetles you see, usually in late
June and July. These first beetles send out chemical pheromones
that attract more beetles to the area.
2. Plant non-attractive plants such as arborvitae, baby’s breath,
begonia, bleeding heart, buttercups, columbine, catnip, chives,
garlic, tansy, daisies and flowering dogwood.
3. When present in small numbers, the beetles may be manually
controlled using a soap-water spray mixture (1 part liquid soap:
40 parts water)
4. Pheromone traps can be used to
attach the insects and dispose of
off site. These are available at
most nurseries and big box stores.
Often a combination of methods is the best approach and it is important to
catch them early and repeat your treatment method often to reduce the
numbers and effects of the feeding.
Figure Four: Pheromone Traps
For further information, contact: