June Beetles No Summer Picnic
November 9th, 2009 Posted in Beetles & Ladybugs
June beetles are infamous for two things, eating crops and destroying lawns.
June beetles, also called the may beetle, are usually ignored when they aren’t out in force, during June and July.
What exactly is a June beetle, and why are they problematic:
June Beetle Life Cycle
Eggs
Eggs are laid several inches underground by the females in groups between 10 and 30.
Several groups of these eggs are produced in a short period of time, sometimes up to 75 in a span of only 2 weeks.
Eggs, which are usually about 1/16 inch, hatch after about 2 weeks.
Larvae
Commonly referred to as grubs, the larvae are “C”-shaped and about 1 inch in length.
Grubs are nocturnal, feeding off dead organic matter in the soil.
Larvae go through several molts in the first year of their life, and when the whether cools, they bury deeper into the ground.
Pupae
Pupae are created with a combination of soil particles and a slimy secretion from the larvae.
Larvae enter the pupal stage in spring and early summer, and remain there for 3 weeks before emerging as an adult.
Adult June Beetle
Adult June beetles grow to between 1/2 and 1 inch in length.
Commonly found June beetles are green in color, with dull brown stripes down their back. Others are a reddish-brown in color.
The underside of an adult is a shiny metallic green or gold, and there’s a distinct horn on the top of the head.
June Beetle Distribution
June beetles are spread across most of eastern U.S., ranging from the coast to Texas and Kansas.
June beetles have spread all the way from Connecticut and parts of New York all the way south to Florida.
June Beetle Damage and Management
June beetles are most damaging when they are larvae.
The larvae feed on decaying plant matter, usually found in soil under grass. The larvae will, while eating, loosen the soil, which will help the grass. However, too many larvae will destroy the roots of the grass, eventually killing the grass.
To check for June bug larvae, test a sample of soil of about 1 square foot that goes several inches deep. If there are upwards of a half a dozen larvae in the sample, you could have a problem.
Areas really thick with larvae have loosened the grass to the point where it can be peeled back.
June bugs have several natural predators, including nematodes and some species of wasps. Certain chemicals, like acephate and carbaryl, are also effective against the larvae.
Or, you can try a safe alternative. EcoSMART’s garden pest control. It’s is a perfect way to protect your lawn, kids, and pets from insects and chemicals.
1 Comment | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!
By Marcie Serrano on May 3, 2010
I wanted to start a garden in my bag yard this year, and as I am pulling out the grass, some areas really did roll back pretty easily. Thought I was having some luck, then I saw tons of these grub looking things and from investigating a few sites I think I may have June Beetle Larvae. Has anyone tried this EcoSmart product? I would be real interested in knowing it works before I try to plant a garden with all these bugs in my yard. And would really like to do it a safe way.
Thanks.