japanese beetles on Rose
Quick answer
If your Rose has japanese beetles, the most likely cause is: Popillia japonica adults emerge in mid-summer, aggregating on roses (their favorite food) to mate and feed. They chew large irregular holes in flowers and skeletonize leaves. They emit pheromones that attract more beetles.
Start here:
- 1. Hand-pick beetles in the early morning when they are sluggish and drop them into a bucket of soapy water
- 2. Do NOT use pheromone traps near your roses, as they attract more beetles from miles away than they catch
Why Rose gets japanese beetles
Rosa spp.
Popillia japonica adults emerge in mid-summer, aggregating on roses (their favorite food) to mate and feed. They chew large irregular holes in flowers and skeletonize leaves. They emit pheromones that attract more beetles.
How to reverse japanese beetles on Rose
- 1
Hand-pick beetles in the early morning when they are sluggish and drop them into a bucket of soapy water
- 2
Do NOT use pheromone traps near your roses, as they attract more beetles from miles away than they catch
- 3
Cover prized blooms with fine mesh netting
- 4
Apply neem oil or spinosad as a deterrent (though efficacy is limited during heavy swarms)
Keep japanese beetles off this Rose
Treat the lawn in late summer/early fall with milky spore or beneficial nematodes to kill the grubs before they mature into next year's adults.