Japanese beetles are large metallic green garden pests that have been accidentally introduced to many parts of the world through international trade. Bugs stow away in cargo holds, the cargo is delivered and the bugs find a new home. Many gardeners have discovered the insect immigrants in their own gardens, much to their dismay.

Oddly enough, there is one place in the world where Japanese beetles are not a pest – Japan. This is thought to be due to lack of vegetation for them to feed on and the cranky weather that can sweep across the islands. In contrast, there are over 300 species of plants Japanese beetles find delicious in America.

The Scent of Love

One effective way to get rid of adult Japanese beetles and cut down on the population before they mate and lay eggs is with the use of scent traps. These traps contain chemicals which are exact recreations of Japanese beetle pheromones. All creatures, when they are the mood for love, put out pheromones in order to attract a mate.

The pheromones lure adult beetles in to a liquid trap that they can’t get out of and eventually they die. However, these beetle traps will lure all of the beetles in the area and some beetles have been known to figure out how to get out of the trap. So, even though it will definitely kill a lot of adult beetles, traps should be used in conjunction with other beetle control methods.

Bring in the Birds

Fortunately, birds in Europe and North America love to eat Japanese beetles – both the adults and the grubs. Ironically, one of the bird species that really enjoys them is the European Starling – another imported species. Attract beetle-eating birds to your garden with feeders and birdbaths. Keep cats indoors or belled so they do not hunt the birds.

It’s In the Blend

One traditional remedy for getting rid of garden pests is reported by many American gardeners to work with Japanese beetles. It’s to spray your plants with a liquid mixture made from Japanese beetle adults and water. The theory is that living adult beetles will avoid areas where they know beetles have died. All you do is pluck a few adult Japanese beetles munching on your plants, stick them in a blender, add water and hit the puree button. Strain the goop through cheesecloth into a sprayer. Obviously, this solution is not for the squeamish or for many card-carrying members of PETA.