Japanese beetles are bent on destruction, and they are indiscriminate consumers. Adults feed on over 400 plant species, including ornamentals, fruits and vegetables. (ANN BENNETT PHOTO)
Row covers are a cornerstone of Integrated Pest Management, a set of practices whose goal is to suppress pest populations to an acceptable level. IPM emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms. (ANN BENNETT PHOTO)
Japanese beetles are bent on destruction, and they are indiscriminate consumers. Adults feed on over 400 plant species, including ornamentals, fruits and vegetables. (ANN BENNETT PHOTO)
Row covers are a cornerstone of Integrated Pest Management, a set of practices whose goal is to suppress pest populations to an acceptable level. IPM emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms. (ANN BENNETT PHOTO)
As the garden hits full stride, so do the insects that inhabit it. The buzz of Japanese beetles accompanies my daily raspberry picking, particularly annoying because they are so difficult to control. It has not always been so. Until the early 2000s, Japanese beetles did not have a presence here in the East Branch Valley, but once established they have been making up for lost time.
This major garden pest emerges in early spring and eats its way through the warm weather months until first frost, and the beetles are indiscriminate consumers. Adult Japanese beetles feed on over 400 plant species, including ornamentals, fruits and vegetables.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
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Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
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