How to Keep Your Garden and Lawn Clear of Green Fig Beetles

Green fig beetles are commonly found in warmer climates of the United States. They also are called other names, such as fruit beetles and also the green June beetle. The matured adult green fig beetle can grow to the size of one inch long, and they have very thick bodies. These adult beetles are known to eat the leaves and fruit of various garden plants, but their favorites are apricots, pears, peaches, apples, figs, melons, grapes, nectarines, and tomatoes. To keep these beetles from destroying your precious garden, here are some strategies you can try to keep your garden clear from these pests.

Keep your garden area clean of debris

Keeping the garden area free and clear of old plant clippings and prunings will help with the control of the beetle population. This will aid in the elimination of the places where they like to hide and lay their eggs. If there are no beetle eggs in your garden, there will be no adult beetles.

Expose the beetle larvae with soapy water

Beetle larvae love the tender roots in your garden and lawn, and with heavy infestations, you will want to do a soapy water treatment. By soaking the garden or lawn with soapy water, this will bring many of the immature beetles (grubs) to the surface. Then you will easily be able to pick them up and properly discard them. Some great news is that many species of jaybirds love to eat these grubs and will wait patiently to help discard of them.

Expose the beetle larvae with plastic sheeting

In the areas that you know there are beetle grubs, such as under trees and vines, you can help capture the emerging adults by using plastic sheeting. Place the plastic sheeting under the trees and seal the edges with bricks, rocks, or heavy pieces of wood. The best time to do this would be in late spring. Make sure to tape the plastic sheeting around the tree trunks. When the beetles start to hatch and emerge from the ground, you will be able to see them and dispose of them. Since they don't move very fast, you can easily peel back the plastic sheeting in sections and dispose of the adults before they have a chance to mate and produce more grubs. Dispose of the grubs in a pail of soapy water.

Capture the beetles with bait

You can easily capture the adult beetles by placing bait buckets in your garden and near trees. All you need to do is fill a bucket with water about half full. Then you will add molasses, malt extract, and let it stand and allow it to ferment. The adult beetles will be attracted to the bait and fall into the bucket, and then they will drown.

Easy, effective strategies you can try to get rid of green fig beetles from your garden and lawn.

Sources: Natural Pest Control for Your Garden