CHASKA, Minn. — Nothing is more annoying when you're out in the backyard than seeing your hard-grown plants riddled with pests or the damage they leave behind. Over the past two weeks, that's become much more prevalent, as Japanese Beetles return.
"One that we get the most complaints about from gardeners because they're very annoying," Annie Klodd, Manager of Interpretation at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, said. "So since they eat so many different plants, and what they actually do is they chew the leaves on the plants, the damage they do is very noticeable."
The beetles have been in the United States for over 100 years, first introduced with iris bulbs coming in from Japan. As for how they got here, Klodd says it wasn't difficult.
"They can fly, but since they chew on over 300 plants, they could be on any plants that are coming into the state from anywhere," she said.
Data from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture shows that the beetle is in nearly every corner of Minnesota, and is especially prevalent in the Twin Cities. Because of that, Klodd says removing them is important, and could save your smaller plants.
"They're not gonna kill the tree, they're basically just going to make the leaves really unsightly," she said. "Making the leaves look like little skeletons."
That includes going out in the morning and batting the beetles into a bucket of soapy water. You can also use netting to keep plants covered while they're young.
Also important to consider – if you're spraying anything, keep in mind the risk to bees. Klodd says it's best to spray in the early morning or late at night to avoid issues.