Types of Beetles

• The types of beetles you are likely to find in your garden depends mainly on the region in which you live and the plants you cultivate. Asiatic garden beetles can be found in New England, around the Great Lakes and as far south as South Carolina. Prevalent in the eastern half of the United States, Japanese beetles are a growing problem because they are highly destructive. Other common garden-destroying beetles include potato beetles and several species of cucumber beetle.
  
  

Damage Inflicted by Beetles

• Asiatic beetles feed on the roots of perennial plants, flowers and vegetables and, though they may occasionally attack turf grass, they prefer dahlias, roses and mums. Adult Japanese beetles feed on the fruits and foliage of hundreds of plant species including fruit trees, shrubs and vegetables, while the larvae attack the roots. Various species of cucumber beetle have been known to infect cucumber plants and other root vegetables with bacterial wilt, stunting the plants' growth. Potato beetles feed on the leaves of vegetable crops such as eggplant, potato and tomato and lay eggs on the leaves which, in turn, produce more beetles.
  
  

Controlling Garden Beetles

• Applying commercial or homemade pesticides to your plants may help to control the population of beetles and other pests in your garden, but there are other steps you can take as well. Introducing bacteria, like milky spore, or nematodes into the soil in your garden can help to kill beetle larvae, particularly those of Japanese beetles. Sticky traps and hanging traps are also effective. Hanging traps made from plastic bags or milk cartons often utilize fermenting fruit as bait to attract the beetles; once they have entered the mouth of the bag or carton, the insects cannot escape.
  
  

Preventing Beetle Infestations

• Simply picking adult beetles off your plants on a daily basis is an excellent way to reduce the number of beetles that overwinter on your plants and emerge to lay eggs in the spring. Drown the beetles you remove from your plants in a container of soapy water. Avoid using a single pesticide or insecticide over and over again, because it is possible for some beetles to develop a resistance. Rotating your insecticides will kill the largest number of beetles, thus lessening the potential for future infestations.