Are Japanese Beetles Attracted to Water?

Japanese beetles are not attracted to standing water such as ponds, lakes, and pools, but they do like locations with very moist and even soggy soil. So low-lying grasslands and irrigated golf courses are alluring to Japanese beetles.

Lawns and gardens that are watered regularly are a favorite stomping ground of Japanese beetles. They love damp and soggy conditions. The insects can tolerate heavy rains well, and have difficulty with drought conditions.

Japanese beetles love moist soil because that is the perfect location for grubs to develop. Japanese beetles lay their eggs directly into the soil, and the grubs eat the roots of the grass and other vegetation while they are growing underground.

So if you have a Japanese beetle infestation in your yard, the grubs are actually eating your grass from the ground up, destroying the roots. With their root system weakened, plants have less resistance to drought, pests, and disease.

You may follow this link to learn more about what attracts Japanese beetles, and here to learn why they are not attracted to light.