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Asiatic Garden Beetle management #889788

Asked November 13, 2024, 1:48 PM EST

I have been creating a native woodland garden in my backyard for the last two years. This past summer, asiatic garden beetles almost destroyed everything I've planted, skeletonizing my golden ragwort, green and gold, zig zag golden rod, and white wood/heart leaf asters. They also significantly damaged my foam flower, blue mist flower, woodland sunflowers and heucherra and even seemed to be feasting on my clethra and ferns. About the only plants they didn't seem to be attacking were native trees and non-native species. I spent three weeks out every night for several hours with a head lamp on hand picking the beetles off the plants. By doing so I managed to save some, but not all, of the plants. Looking ahead to next summer, I know the beetles I didn't get are now underground as grubs and will emerge again. I cannot continue to sacrifice my nights for weeks on end to hand pick these pests off my plants. What are some other options? Any advice most appreciated - thank you!

Anne Arundel County Maryland

Expert Response

I also wanted to mention that whatever you might suggest must be dog-friendly as I have two small dogs that use the space daily and have a penchant for eating things they shouldn't!

The Question Asker Replied November 13, 2024, 3:26 PM EST

Asiatic garden beetles can be tricky to manage, especially because the adults are highly mobile and can fly long distances in search of host plants. 

At this time of year, late fall, I would recommend waiting on applying any of the control tactics I will detail below. This is because at this time of year these control tactics will not be effective due to multiple factors like climate as well as because of the beetle/grubs' life stage. At this time of year the immature beetles (grubs) will be burrowing deeper and deeper into the soil, where they will spend the winter months. At this time, you may support predation of grubs by tolerating any animals like crows and skunks and their digging in your landscape to reach the grubs. Adults typically begin to emerge from the soil around the beginning of June.

Some years are more favorable than others in terms of supporting higher Asiatic and other chafer beetle populations. Thus you may find lower populations some years, and higher populations other years. 

Some of your main options for managing the Asiatic garden beetles include trapping, exclusionary netting, entomopathogenic nematodes, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), and/or pesticides. 

  • Trapping: As you likely know, with your management of handpicking these beetles off plants at night, Asiatic garden beetles are nocturnal, feeding at night and hiding during the day. To utilize this fact, some people have found setting up a light (at a height of about 1 foot) with a pan of soapy water underneath works as an effective trap for reducing adults when their numbers are high. It is best to set this up right when you see signs of the beetles and/or their damage next spring. It is important to note that this management tactic may capture non-target beneficial nocturnal insects, and thus should be used during peak Asiatic beetle population periods as a temporary management tactic. The light trap could also attract more beetles to the area- something to key an eye on and consider when it comes to trap placement.
  • Exclusionary Netting: If you have plants that are not well established and may be more vulnerable to Asiatic beetle damage, you could consider exclusionary netting, especially before/during periods of high beetle populations (being mindful that netting would also block pollinators). Netting can be tricky as you would want to ensure you do not trap any beetles under the net with the plant(s); thus monitoring and maintaining the netting is key. You also would want to key an eye on the netting to ensure other non-target animals don't get stuck or trapped by accident. Effective netting is properly secured on all ends to exclude the pest beetles from getting to the plant and its leaves.
  • Entomopathogenic Nematodes (EPNs): EPNs are insect killing roundworms that naturally occur in our environment but can be purchased and applied in certain areas as a pest management tactic. EPNs seek out and enter host bodies where they will infect the host with a bacteria; eventually killing the host. The two main species of entomopathogenic nematodes recommended for targeting Asiatic beetles include, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema feltiae, and are best applied to the soil starting in late July/early August through September. Always read the storage and application directions when purchasing EPNs. Most EPNs need to be kept in the fridge until you apply them. 
  • Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt): Bt is a soil bacterium that produces insecticidal toxins and is naturally found in nature. In order to work as a biological insecticide, Bt or its spores or crystal toxins must be eaten by the insect. Inside the insect, the crystal toxins bind to cells of the gut wall, and cause these cells to break apart, eventually killing the insect. There are certain strains/varieties of Bt that target certain insects and are available for purchase and application in a home landscape setting. The recommended strain to target most grub species is Bacillus thuringiensis galleriae (Btg), usually sold under the commercial name GrubGONE. The general recommended application window is July through August, but be sure to read the product label and directions for application timing. There are varied results, in terms of Bt effectively controlling chafers. Some have found formulations of Bt that are meant for foliar applications are more effective than granular soil applications.
  • Pesticides: A pesticide control choice that is relatively safe to apply and provides excellent control is Acelepryn (active ingredient Chlorantraniliprole) which is found in GrubEx (active ingredients can change periodically so check the product label). This insecticide has low toxicity to vertebrates and has shown no adverse effects on beneficial insects. Acelepryn has a broad application window (May – September; always check the chemical label for the recommended application date window). There are also pesticide options, some of which can only be legally applied by a certified pest control applicator (such as any products with the active ingredient Imidacloprid). Always read the entire chemical label before purchasing and before use, following all directions and using all recommended personal protective equipment (like protective clothing and gloves). Always read the chemical label to ensure the product is labeled for your intended pest, such as grubs in turf. If you choose to use a pesticide I would recommend only treating areas of your lawn that have been affected by grub damage, this reduces the amount of pesticides you would need to use. It is important to note that with any pesticides there could be negative non-target impacts on wildlife like pollinators. Pesticides should be carefully considered before purchasing or applying. Not all pesticides are the same, some are more toxic than others.




Thank you for getting back to me with the detailed suggestions - I really appreciate it. Since the windows recommended for application of some of the alternatives (nematodes and bacterium) are after the beetles will re-emerge and do damage this summer (June and early July), I guess that leaves me with either hand-picking again this summer, or applying the recommended pesticide in late May/early June.  I don’t see exclusionary netting being particularly viable in my yard conditions. 

I have 2 remaining questions -

1) I am having difficulty envisioning the light trap you described.  Is the light 1 foot off the ground and the soapy water on the ground below it? I guess that assumes they will be drawn to the light and then drop straight down into the water?  If you have a photo of the suggested set-up, that would be helpful. How large of an area would one trap work for?

2) Someone recommended Milky Spore to me, but I think that just targets Japanese beetles, not the Asiatic Garden beetle. Am I correct?

Thanks again -

Kathy 
The Question Asker Replied November 16, 2024, 2:14 PM EST
Unfortunately we don't have a photo or much efficacy data on such light traps or the area they help to manage, but yes, the setup is as you describe (light hanging around a foot off the ground, with the pan of soapy water underneath it, so insects that drop after hitting the light or tiring of flying around it fall into the soap and drown). As Madeline mentioned, though, it's not a great solution since it will indiscriminately trap harmless insects as well.

Milky Spore isn't expected to be very effective on Asiatic Garden Beetle grubs, correct.

A different organic pesticide option might be to pre-treat the vulnerable plants (just before you expect to see the beetle adults, or just after they start to cause damage) with something like kaolin clay. This is a pesticide made from finely-ground natural clay particles suspended in water. As per product label directions, the solution is sprayed onto foliage (and when labeled for use in vegetable gardens or fruit trees as well, also onto the fruit itself). Kaolinite is the main component of these weathered materials (such as feldspar), and that ingredient happens to have other uses as an additive in some food, cosmetic, and medicinal/hygienic products. When used as an organic insecticide, kaolin clay primarily serves as a mechanical barrier to discourage insect feeding and egg-laying. Potential disadvantages of its use include the residue shading leaves by blocking some of their sunlight, like a sunscreen (which may reduce the amount of light energy that plants use to bloom well), being aesthetically unappealing as a grayish color over the leaves, and deterring desirable or harmless insects like the caterpillars of moths or butterflies from using the treated plants as hosts. Still, as one of many broad-spectrum management options that would potentially interfere with more than just those beetles, at least it has few drawbacks. Like any topical pesticide, it would need re-application regularly after rain or after enough new growth emerges that is untreated.

Miri

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