You may have noticed these big, green beetles flying around in the last week or so. Green June beetle flight activity has begun for 2022. It’s hard not to notice these critters…they are loud and clumsy fliers that will crash into just about anything and anyone. Green June beetles are the largest of the scarab beetles that we see in turf and are easily identified by their bright green and gold coloration.
Much like other scarabs, adults emerge in the summer, fly around for a few weeks, feed and mate and females will lay eggs. Unlike other scarabs, however, Green June beetle larvae are easily controlled by some contact insecticides in late summer and early fall. These larvae come to the turf surface at night to feed so an evening application of Sevin* (ai: carbaryl) or Dylox (ai: trichlorfon) in September will kill the grubs on the turf surface. Just be aware, you may need to physically remove the grubs from the turf surface the next morning to avoid excessive bird feeding or a nasty smell in the area.
For additional control information, please see the Turf Pest Info Sheet on Turffiles. Products specifically for Green June beetle control are in bold in the recommendation chart.
*Please note: Not all Sevin-labeled products contain the active ingredient carbaryl. Make sure to check the label for the correct active ingredient before purchasing.