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Japanese beetle infestation on plants can be really frustrating, which is why it is necessary to know when they are most active. Meanwhile, these pests are significant and are commonly seen in yards and gardens all over the state in the daytime. But where do Japanese Beetles go at night?
Japanese beetles retire into their underground nest for solace at night. Just like a worker require rest after a tedious day at work, the same way these beetles need rest after their activities of the day.
After their morning and daytime exploits, they will need to rest in the evening and go to their nesting home underground to sleep. We’ll come back to this later!
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about Japanese Beetles and when they’re most active!
What Are Japanese Beetles?
Firstly, Japanese beetles originate from Japan and other Asian regions. They are tiny, green, copper, and brown insects but can be invasive, troublesome, and destructive that you can’t easily control.
Apart from the Asian continent, they also exist in other parts like America, Europe, Canada, and several African nations.
They are scientifically called Popillia japonica and hail from the Scarabaeidae family. Unlike in North America, like the East and Mid-west regions where you’ll hardly see any of their predators around, there are predators in other parts that keep them unleashed.
Without a leash, they can become destructive pests to many crops, flowers, trees, and shrubs. Japanese beetles mostly come out during the summer and fall seasons, especially from early July to mid-September, where you can see them on lawns and plants.
These pests can acclimatize to almost all locations and build their nests anywhere, landscapes inclusive, as long as the place features some foliage, they can feast on.
Again, the Japanese beetles will also enter deep into the soil or hide amid grasses during the night. They also exist in organic matters such as leaves and bark. So, after embarking on their disastrous duties of the day, they will indeed retire to their nesting area during the night.
See Also: What Attracts Japanese Beetles?
Where Do Japanese Beetles Go at Night?
There is no need to beat about the bush, as almost everyone knows when Japanese beetles operate. But if you are among those who have yet to understand where precisely these pests go at night.
The straightforward answer is that they often go back to the underground nest they built themselves.
The nest is where they retire for their night’s rest after their devastating day activities. And like we said earlier, just as humans return to their beds’ comfort after their day’s stressful job, so do Japanese beetles retire to their underground nests.
They prefer going out and causing havoc during warm days from late spring to mid-August and returning to their nest at dusk. However, whenever you discover any beetle still feasting during the night, you must have seen the Northern Masked Chafers.
What Time of the Day Do Japanese Beetles Come Out?
Japanese beetles typically appear and are most active around 9 am to 3 pm. They primarily like feasting and traveling during brighter periods of the day, which is why you’ll hardly see them at night.
Just like humans, Japanese beetles want to work and feast in the morning and afternoon and then retire to their nest in the last hours.
What Season Are Japanese Beetles Most Active?
The most active season for Japanese beetles is summertime, which typically begins mid-June to mid-August, during temperature drops. Several people often mistake them for summer bugs; hence, it’s most common to control them within that period.
Again, Japanese beetles only possess an adult lifespan of two months; thus, no need to bother you about a similar group coming back next year.
What Kind of Weather Do Japanese Beetles Like?
The type of weather Japanese beetles can survive under temperatures of around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the climate they enjoy most is when the temperature is about 85 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit when the weather is much warmer.
Because they are summer insects, they tend to be more active whenever the weather is hotter.
Where Do Japanese Beetles Go in the Winter?
Generally, Japanese beetles will die or overwinter in the soil as larvae. Once the first frost has emerged, they will enter deeper into the ground, maybe around 2 to 8 inches deep, to locate a warmer area.
However, they will subsequently die when the ground becomes colder.
Adult Japanese species tend to die after two months, which means it has only lasted through the summer. As such, when winter comes, they would disappear. However, any adult beetle still living past the summer will try to reproduce and nest with its larvae until it warms up.
Will Japanese Beetles Die If It’s Too Cold?
Quite simply!!! Yes, they would die if they became too cold. This situation often occurs whenever the soil temperature exceeds 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or the ground remains consistently at 32 degrees.
Even though they are hardy species, Japanese beetles can experience high grub death if they experience severe cold. Remember, they are not yet adult beetles; they can only get deeper into the ground. In freezing conditions, they can go as deep as a foot; hence, they would give up easily.
Are Japanese Beetles Invasive?
Yes, Japanese beetles are very invasive pests. Since they can feast on more than 300 plants, these species can devastate your garden.
More tender beetles, like grubs, can feed on turfgrass, causing patchy lawns because they consume the roots of your grass, destroying the whole greenery section. This situation has caused many gardeners to control Japanese beetles before they cause more damage.
How Do You Eliminate Japanese Beetles?
Whenever you start noticing Japanese beetles in your garden, you should think about getting rid of them as fast as possible. Fortunately, there are several ways you can kill Japanese Beetles from an area, including;
- Use your hands to pick off the beetles by first locating their nest
- Try to set up Japanese beetle traps
- You can repel living Japanese beetles with dead ones
- Prepare a spray with the dead beetles and use it in your garden
- Spray a pesticide on the area where you see nests
- Use a trap crop (African marigold will be ideal)
- Walk through your yard with lawn aerating sandals
- Apply nematodes through your garden
- Ensure you do not water your grass (Japanese beetles do best in damp soil)
Well!! For those that don’t like the idea of picking off beetles by hand, using a Japanese beetle pesticide is ideal. You want to continuously use your chemical through the summer season when Japanese beetles will get most active and repopulating.
HARRIS Japanese Beetle Residual Kill Formula
This pesticide does best precisely for Japanese beetles, as it will hardly stain, is odorless, kills within weeks, and comes in a one-gallon container.
Conclusion
From the above article, it is clear that Japanese beetles are mostly seen during the day because that is when they carry out their exploits.
So, if you want to stop them from destroying your garden, this knowledge will tell you when to attack them. After their day’s disastrous activities, they tend to return to their nest to relax at night.
