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cranberrybush beetle? #871984

Asked June 07, 2024, 12:00 AM EDT

Hello! I have a cranberrybush that was decimated in about a week. I have two of these bushes, one on either side of my front steps. One has been destroyed, and other is still healthy (photos attached). Someone at Mother Earth Gardens guessed maybe this was due to a cranberry bush beetle? Whatever it is, I'm wondering what to do next to save both bushes. Thank you for your help!

Hennepin County Minnesota

Expert Response

Hi Sara,

You have the Viburnum Leaf Beetle;

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/viburnum-leaf-beetle/

http://www.hort.cornell.edu/vlb/manage.html

As far as what you can do now, I would be out there with a jar of soapy water hand picking as many beetles and worms as you can morning and evening. If there are some in the worm stage you could try spraying them with soapy water mixed with very hot tabasco sauce ( any hot pepper you can mix with water). The worms soft bodies will be very irritated. Unfortunately, the best control is spraying your bush with dormant oil when it's not leafed out.

The good news is that the beetles only have one life cycle so if you can pick most of them off your bushes have a chance of recovering. Make sure they get water if we go into a drought because they will be stressed.

Good luck,

Sally Granath

St. Louis County MG

An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 09, 2024, 9:32 PM EDT

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