Days of Destruction

First posted on 07-01-2009

Japanese beetles have once again invaded the Ozarks and are ravaging tender plant material in backyards across the region. Their voracious appetites can lay waste to trees and shrubs in a matter of days.

According to some experts, the beetles are fond of more than 300 different varieties of ornamental landscape plants and trees. These include roses, Virginia creeper, crepe myrtle, butterfly bushes, canna and grapes as well as birch, Japanese maple, elm, plums, cherry, willows and sycamores.

Only about 3/8 of an inch long, Japanese beetles are a colorful and metallic green with a row of white hairs on each side of their oval-shaped bodies. The white hairs are telltale identifiers of Japanese beetles.

Controlling these menacing creatures is difficult once they arrive and begin to eat. Keeping an eye out for scouts in early through late spring and destroying them can help ward off an attack.

Insecticide sprays like Orthene or Sevin may be the most effective means of ridding the yard of Japanese beetles. These may need to be applied weekly during peak activity.

Traps are also available and can be used to reduce the population but a word of caution to homeowners - if no one else in the neighborhood is using traps, most all the Japanese beetles in your area will be attracted to your yard and you can find yourself emptying bags of smelly, dead beetles every few hours.>

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