Discover what to do about Japanese beetles, slugs and earwigs. Also, see how to identify a new invasive insect in Michigan.

If you garden, there will be pests that eat your plants. Vegetables, fruit trees and flowers growing in the ground as well as those in containers and hanging baskets are at risk. Here’s a look at three common garden pests and how to minimize their damage.

Japanese beetles

This unmistakable shiny copper beetle is a native of Japan. Its larvae feed on grass roots until the adults emerge in late June and early July. Adult Japanese beetles munch on leaf tissue, leaving behind a skeleton of leaf veins. They feast on over 300 kinds of plants and are attracted to fragrant flowers like roses.

When addressing a Japanese beetle problem, you need to make sure you don’t make the problem worse. Traps marketed to catch Japanese beetles will surely catch many beetles but they may also attract more beetles. Many home gardeners counter Japanese beetles by filling a bucket or wide-mouth jar with water and a squirt of dish soap and then knock the bugs from the plant into the water. 

Slugs

Picture a snail without a shell, and that’s a slug. They may lack legs but they get around the garden and get to feasting at night. In daylight, you may see a slime trail where they traveled.

During the day, slugs like moist places with places to hide from the sun. They often spend their days under plant debris, rocks or small branches on the ground. The feed on a variety of vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants.

Countering slugs requires a multi-prong approach.

First, make conditions uninviting to slugs. Do this by avoiding watering late in the day. Dry soil makes it harder for them to move around at night.

Also, spreading a product called diatomaceous earth creates a sharp barrier between slugs and plants. To humans, diatomaceous earth resembles a powder, but on a microscopic level, it’s like dragon’s teeth for slugs. It works well but only when it’s dry. Reapply diatomaceous earth after rain or watering.

The third thing to do when countering slugs is to try one of these methods for removing them. To trap them, lay a piece of wet cardboard or rolled up wet newspaper in the garden overnight. By morning the slugs will be sheltering underneath. Pick up the trap and throw it away. Repeat as needed. Alternatively, some gardeners “hunt” slugs at night with a flashlight and a salt shaker. When they spot a slug, they sprinkle salt on it to kill it.

Earwigs

Earwigs are a bit like double agents. They’re pests with some beneficial qualities. At their worst, these insects with pincers chew on buds, leaves, flowers and fruit, leaving ragged holes behind. At their best, they act as natural pest control for aphids, insect eggs and mites. They also help break down organic material into compost.

If earwigs are a problem, control is similar to that for slugs, according to MSU Extension. “Remove plant debris, organic mulch and scrap wood from the area, as these are potential hiding places for earwigs. Moistened, rolled-up newspapers left overnight on the soil may be retrieved in the morning, and any earwigs present can be shaken into a container of soapy water.”

A newcomer to the pest scene: spotted lanternfly

The presence of an invasive species, the spotted lanternfly, has been confirmed across southeastern Michigan. It’s a visually striking insect from Asia with spotted wings that are light brown, red, black and gray-blue, but it is destructive to Michigan plants.

“Currently, the spotted lanternfly prefers to feed on the invasive tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima), but it also feeds on a wide range of plants including grapevines and trees such as black walnut, river birch, willow, sumac and red maple,” reports Michigan Farm News. There’s a knock-on effect, too. “When feeding, spotted lanternfly produces a sticky liquid called honeydew that can collect on the ground or surrounding vegetation. This results in the growth of sooty mold, which can discolor and kill plants, leave surfaces sticky and attract secondary pests such as flies and yellow jackets.

If you see a spotted lantern fly, “Squish it,” says the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).

To learn more about garden pests (and see pictures of Japanese beetles and slugs), check out “What bug chewed on my plants last night?” from MSU Extension. To see what a spotted lanternfly looks like, click here.

 

Federally insured by NCUA