
Photo by softie on iNaturalist · CC BY-SA 4.0
PestActive Jun–Aug
Japanese beetle
Popillia japonica
- When
- Jun–Aug — June, July, August. Earlier in the south, later in the north.
- Where to look
- Roses, grapes, beans and raspberry leaves, feeding in groups in full sun.
- How to know it
- Metallic green body with copper wing covers and small white tufts along the sides. Leaves are skeletonised to lace.
- What it does — and what to do
- Knock them into soapy water first thing in the morning while they are sluggish. Traps pull in more beetles than they catch — put them at the far end of the property or not at all.
Found in these regions
Is it active near you?
Get this week's guide for your area
Enter a town, postal code or ZIP and we'll tell you what's happening right there this week — from your local climate, this week's weather and your ecological region.
Also active in September
PollinatorMay–OctMonarch butterfly
Danaus plexippus
Orange with heavy black veins and a white-spotted black border. The caterpillar is banded yellow, white and black.
What it does in the garden →Photo: Christine Young · CC BY 4.0
PollinatorMay–SepRuby-throated hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
Tiny, iridescent green above; the male has a black-looking throat that flares ruby in the right light.
What it does in the garden →
BeneficialJul–OctPraying mantis
Mantidae
Long green or brown body, triangular head that swivels, and folded raptorial front legs.
What it does in the garden →