Japanese beetles - Ask Extension
Japanese beetles have returned to my garden. Is there a program to get rid of them? I had them quite a few years ago and participated in the program ...
Knowledgebase
Japanese beetles #908571
Asked July 06, 2025, 10:35 AM EDT
Japanese beetles have returned to my garden. Is there a program to get rid of them? I had them quite a few years ago and participated in the program to spread the pathogen infected dead beetles in the ground. Is there a current program or any method to get rid of them?
Ingham County Michigan
Expert Response
Japanese beetles have been an established invasive species for many years. There are not any regional or statewide programs to eradicate them.
During cooler times of the day, they can be hand-picked and thrown in a bucket of soapy water. If using insecticides, Sprayable products containing the active ingredients carbaryl, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin or permethrin are the best choices. Be sure to read the label of any insecticide to confirm it can be sprayed on the plants you're trying to manage.
During cooler times of the day, they can be hand-picked and thrown in a bucket of soapy water. If using insecticides, Sprayable products containing the active ingredients carbaryl, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin or permethrin are the best choices. Be sure to read the label of any insecticide to confirm it can be sprayed on the plants you're trying to manage.
