Destructive Beetles?

[BirdBrain]

I live in northwest, ohio. Every june my yard is overcome by thousands of tan beetles the size of a bead. They eat everything including trees. Does any one know what this beetle might be? and how to get rid of them? :/

 

[silkiechicken]

Maybe a few guineas? I know guineas are good for riding of ticks.

 

[countrygirl4513]

Is it Japanese Beetles? If so, not much you can do. I've heard of people using those beetle traps but that seems to attract more bugs instead of ridding you of the problem. Something to do with the female pharamones they use in it. They are an aggravation. Near as bad as tater beetles, they can wipe out a crop of taters in no time. But I've found that my chickens like the J.beetles, so they help keep the population down, greatly.

 

[Rio_Lindo_AZ]

hmmmmmm...

have you tryed poisoning them?

We once had a snail problem in my garden.
Solution: salt, and lots of it

 

[BirdBrain]

No, they are not japs, we have them too, but they are not nearly as bad. These come out arround june and take over the whole yard for severl weeks.

 

[patandchickens]

I don't know what size bead your beetles are exactly the size of , but if they are roughly fingernail size, could they be junebugs?

I had trouble googling up a good picture (and there are green, blackish and striped spp as well as tan ones) but does yours look at all like this

They eat all sorts of plants, plus their larvae are big fat white lawn grubs (like japanese beetle grubs) that munch your grass roots underground. Which isn't good for your lawn either. Aside from handpicking, the most effective control is to battle them in grub stage. You can apply milky spore disease spores (buy at garden center for nontrivial $$, apply exactly as directed, do not expect whopping results esp. first year). It will also help to improve the overall health of your lawn via soil improvement (aerate, add compost, minimize compaction, fix nutrient problems, etc). Skunks will dig them up for you but most people do not view that as a 'solution' If most of the beetles come from your neighbors lawns instead of your own, you are mostly s.o.l., unfortunately.

Of course if yours are NOT junebugs, disregard the above


Pat

 

[Rio_Lindo_AZ]

that bug looks funiloiar.....

 

[BirdBrain]

Its is very simmilar to that only a tan color. It is probably a junebug, but i think its head is smaller.

 

[kybukabu]

Consider nematodes and/or milky spore for the beetle problem. They are two safe alternatives for grub and beetle infestation. One source is DirtWorks.net Just finished reading about them myself.

 

[jdypat]

the stripped ones are called squash bugs here in tennessee.. i pick them off or sprinkle with a little Sevin Dust.. I put it in an old sheer ladies stocking and shake it over the plant they go away fast....
im sure it woud work on all kinds of beetles.. even japanese bettle. i sure learned the hard way n ot to use the traps.. it brings bettles from two miles away from all sides.
instead put grape juice in a pan under the plant and they go to that and drown.
but to prevent them.. in may or as the ground warms up, sprinkle grub killer in the ground.. it gets rid of the grubs that moles are after and the grubs that become bettles.. winner both ways.
i dont use a lot of poisons but you just gotta do what you gotta do.
the bettles will destroy the plants and the moles will destroy the ground and possibly cause you to break leg or a hip.. or two.
if your neighbors do not use the milky spore thing it s no use for you to use it..and too it takes a year or more for it to become effective.. but again the whole area has to use it. very expensive