June Bugs on Fig Bushes

Green June Beetles

• Green June beetles (Cotinus nitida or Cotinis mutabilis) look like very big Japanese beetles to the uninitiated. These beetles may reach up to 1 1/4 inch in length, and like their Japanese cousins, have shiny, metallic green coloration. They appear in June or July to feed on a variety of fruits and plants, but are particularly attracted to over-ripe or rotting figs. They lay their eggs in the soil where their larvae, otherwise known as grub worms, feed on organic material and burrow deep underground.

Damage

• Adult green June beetles gain entry to fruits using a horn-like protrusion on the front of their heads, gouging a hole before chewing the fruit. Green June beetles then release a pheromone that alerts others in the area to the nearby food source, drawing them in by the hundreds. When lots of green June beetles feed on figs, they can quickly devastate a bush and cause significant crop losses. They may also skeletonize leaves, leaving nothing but the tougher veins behind. Larvae sever grass roots, allowing turf to be rolled up like a carpet and killing many species of grass entirely.

Non-Chemical Control

• A few green June beetles can be picked off of figs and dropped into a bucket of soapy water, but larger infestations may require longer-term control. Keep lawns healthy to prevent green June beetles from laying eggs and cover or remove any compost piles. The use of manure-based fertilizers attracts female green June beetles to your landscape, where they will quickly find your fig bushes. A few predators, including spiders, ants and other beetles feed on these pests and Scolia dubia, a parasitic digger wasp, uses them for hatcheries. Avoiding the use of broad-spectrum pesticides will preserve these species, who may be able to keep this June beetle in check.

Chemical Control

• If non-chemical controls are started at the first sign of beetles, green June beetles may not reach sufficient numbers to warrant further control. Harvest your fruit as early as possible and clean up any that have fallen to the ground to further discourage wanderers. However, if green June beetles are thick, apply neem oil to trees and fruits to destroy the pests. Mix 4 tablespoons of neem oil concentrate per gallon of water in a pressurized sprayer and apply a thick coating to both bush and fruits. It may require multiple weekly spray applications to get green June beetles under control, but you can safely apply neem up to the day of harvest. As with any garden chemical, read all labels and packaging carefully before applying neem to your bush.