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Japanese Beetle

What is japanese beetle?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Scientific name Popillia japonica[1]
Native to Japan[1]
First found in the United States 1916[1]
Adult diet More than 300 ornamental and agricultural plants[2]
Larval diet Grass roots[2]

The Japanese beetle (*Popillia japonica*) is an invasive scarab beetle native to Japan, established in parts of North America since 1916, where adults and grubs damage plants and turf. [1] [2] [3]

Context

The Japanese beetle is an insect species in the scarab beetle group, native to Japan and first found in the United States in 1916 [1]. Adults feed on more than 300 plants, skeletonizing leaves and damaging flowers and fruit, while grubs live in soil and eat grass roots [2]. It is established in the eastern U.S. and reported in some western states, where it is treated as an invasive pest [1] [3].

Documented claims

  • The Japanese beetle is an invasive species established in the eastern United States and reported in some western states. [1]
  • Adults skeletonize leaves and make irregular holes, while grubs feed on grass roots. [2]

Related

Carpet BeetleEn lasare som vill veta mer om skalbaggar som skadedjur i hemmet kan vara intresserad av carpet beetle.Asian Lady BeetleAsian lady beetle ar en annan invasiv skalbaggsart som ofta diskuteras i sammanhang med skadedjursbekampning.

Questions and answers

Are Japanese beetles harmful?

Yes, they are destructive pests: adults skeletonize leaves and make irregular holes on plants, while grubs damage turf by feeding on grass roots [2].

How do I get rid of the Japanese beetle?

Control methods depend on your location and the beetle's life stage; sources recommend targeting adults on plants and grubs in soil, but specific tactics vary by region [1] [2].

Should you squish Japanese beetles?

Squishing adults can kill individual beetles, but it is not a complete control strategy; effective management requires addressing both adults and soil-dwelling grubs [2].

Sources

  1. Japanese Beetle - Wisconsin Horticulture — hort.extension.wisc.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Japanese beetles in yards and gardens — extension.umn.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. The Japanese beetle Popillia japonica Newman ... — portal.ct.gov (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature