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Japanese beetle management top of mind for Iowa farmer

Eastern Iowa farmer Dave Walton says Japanese beetles are one of his biggest concerns this growing season.

“Those populations have been coming up the last couple of weeks,” he said. “We’re not at a treatment threshold yet, but it’s still something we’re keeping a close eye on.”

Adult beetles emerge from mid-June through July and have a similar appearance to Junebugs.

He tells Brownfield they can be destructive to row crops.

“The biggest concern is defoliation,” Walton said. “It takes leaf area away from the plant and that leaf is the energy factor for the plant. We can see anywhere from a couple percent to up to 10-15% yield reduction if we don’t control those Japanese beetles.”

Walton says he manages the pest with insecticide applications.