If you live in the Twin Cities Metro Area, Extension entomologist Vera Krishik and her team need your help. This summer, they’ll be looking for Japanese beetle grubs to collect in June, and again in August through October. They already began collecting from some locations in May.
In Minnesota, Japanese beetle grubs grow underground most of the year until they emerge in late June – just in time to wreak havoc on your roses, basil, fruiting plants and practically anything else in your garden. Collecting the grubs is part of a larger research effort to eradicate Japanese beetle from Minnesota, eventually.
How do you know whether you have Japanese beetle grubs before they emerge as adult beetles? Dead grass that pulls away easily is one good indication.
If you know someone or someplace with grubs, the research team will happily remove them from parks, cemeteries, municipalities or your yard.
If you think you have Japanese beetle grubs, please email Vera Krishik at krisc001@umn.edu. Her team will arrange a convenient time to stop by, collect the grubs, and back-fill the hole with soil and turf.
The team promises to be tidy and clean. They can over-seed, too. And, if you’re interested, they will discuss best management practices for your yard with you.