Will Soapy Water Kill Japanese Beetles?

Japanese beetles are one of the most notable pests that destroy over 200 different types of plants within a short period. 

Most people have sought for ways to effectively kill Japanese beetles, most of which were unproductive. But what is the best way to get rid of this pest? Will soapy water kill Japanese beetles?

Yes, soapy water can kill Japanese beetles; and in this article, we will discuss extensively how to use soapy water to eliminate Japanese beetles, the type of soapy water to use and how to prepare them.

Let’s get started!

What Are Japanese Beetles?

Japanese beetles are one of the most notable plant pests that cause severe damage to plants. They are small insects with copper wings. 

One thing that makes these Japanese beetles deadly is that they feed on over 200 varieties of plants within a short period. It is safe to say that these beetles feed on anything green.

Before now, Japanese beetles were found only in Japan, but recently they have been sighted in different parts of the world, and the anxiety to find a way to control them is high, especially among farmers.

Will Soapy Water Kill Japanese Beetles?

Yes, soapy water will kill Japanese beetles. You can easily control Japanese beetles by using soapy water which can be easily made from home. 

In this section, we will discuss how you can get rid of Japanese beetles. You will also learn how to make soapy water at home for your personal use.

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How to Make Soapy Water to Kill Japanese Beetles

Step 1

The first step is to mix four spoonfuls of dawn dish soap with water and put it inside a spray bottle. Then shake the mixture effectively and spray them directly on your plants where you suspect there are Japanese beetles and their larvae. 

Step 2

Once you’re done with the step above, the next thing is to mix one teaspoon of the same soap you used in method one, mix it with a cup of vegetable oil and shake them effectively. 

Then add a cup of water to the mixture and shake effectively, then add another cup of alcohol and shake the mixture very well, then allow for some time for the vegetable oil to emulsify. 

After this is fine, the next thing to do is to pour the mixture into a spray can and then spray directly on your plant or area where you suspect Japanese beetle presence. 

However, you are to spray them at 10-day intervals, this is to control the outbreak of Japanese beetles effectively.

How to Control Japanese Beetles

There are several steps in controlling Japanese beetles, and some of the steps are

• Identify the insect
• Know its life cycle
• Body mechanism

1. Identify The Insects 

The first step in controlling Japanese beetles is to identify the correct insects. 

This sounds easy, but many farmers make this mistake, there are different types of beetles, for example, the June beetle is similar to the Japanese beetle, so it may be difficult identifying them.

However, one of the ways to easily identify Japanese beetles is in their operations. Japanese beetles don’t come into your garden or farm singly; they do so in swam and in great numbers.

In addition, they won’t leave until they have eaten everything green on your farm, they can stay on your farm for a whole day.

So whenever you see a hole in your plant, you should check it very well to make sure and to identify the type of beetle that caused such damage.

2. Know Its Life Cycle

When it comes to controlling Japanese beetles, you need to understand their life cycle, one of the benefits of this is that it gives you the knowledge required to exterminate them. 

The Japanese beetles are known to have a very short life cycle. On average, they grow, mature and die in about 30 to 45 days. When you discover the presence of Japanese beetles on your farm, you should find a way to exterminate them immediately. 

The reason is that as the Japanese beetles feed, they release different chemicals that attract other beetles. 

3. Body mechanism of Japanese Beetles

After knowing their life cycle, the next thing you need to do is to understand how Japanese beetles work, early in the morning, they’re mostly shown during this period and sluggish. 

This is an advantage for you as the farmer because you can easily see them on the leaves of your garden, and either shake them off or pick them with your hands.

How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles From Your Garden

There are different other ways of eliminating the Japanese beetles, and some of them are;

• By taking care of your plant when you sense the presence of Japanese beetles
• By using row covers to protect your plants
• Plant plants that do not attract Japanese beetles
• Use chickens to kill Japanese beetles

1. Take Care Of Your Plant 

One of the things you need to know about Japanese beetles is that they are attracted to decaying and overripe fruits. 

This shows that for you to control the effect of Japanese beetles on your plant effectively, you need to harvest your crops, fruit, and plant at the due times, and don’t allow them to overripe as this will attract Japanese beetles.

2. Use Row Covers To Protect Your Plants 

One of the benefits of using row covers to protect your plant is that it acts like a selectively permeable membrane.

This means that when you use row covers to protect your plant, it will prevent Japanese beetles from getting into your plants but at the same time it allows for water, sunlight and air to enter. 

However, this method is only effective if there are no beetle larvae on the ground before you use the row covers.

3. Grow Plants That Don’t Attract Japanese Beetles

Another effective way to get rid of Japanese beetles is to plant plants that do not attract Japanese beetles in the first place. Some crops attract Japanese beetles, and some of these crops are;

• Roses
• Apples
• Raspberries
• Hibiscus
• Soybeans
• Cherries 

Having known the type of crops that attract Japanese beetles, the next thing you need to do is to choose the type of plant you need to plant. 

You can equally disperse the crop as Japanese beetles feed together, this will help reduce the rate at which it attacks your plant.

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4. Use Chickens To Get Rid Of Japanese Beetles

One of the biological ways to get rid of Japanese beetles is to use chickens. Chickens feed on Japanese beetles. They feed on the beetles and their larvae. 

To make this process effective, you can easily spray your plant with a mixture of dawn dish soap and water, this will help to bring the larvae to the surface and kill off the beetles, the chickens will then eat the larvae. 

This is one of the most notable ways to get rid of Japanese beetles.