What Attracts Japanese Beetles?

Japanese beetles are most reliant upon their sense of smell to make their way in the world. Their eyesight is not as sharp, so they rely on smell to find food, a mate, or anything else they need.

You may have noticed that the modern beetle bag traps use a strong floral scent in order to entice the beetles to the trap. The bait mimics the chemical signature of flowers that are irresistible to Japanese beetles. That is a perfect example of how the insects are most attracted to particular smells.

That fact is key to understanding what attracts Japanese beetles to your garden. If we understand what brings them in, then we should be able to minimize Japanese beetle damage by removing those things.

It is believed that Japanese beetles are drawn by pheromones released by the leaves of plants. Pheromones are chemical signatures that indicate to the beetles the presence of a desired food source.

Entomologists also postulate that trees under attack from a Japanese beetle infestation give off chemical indicators of distress which actually attract  more Japanese beetles to the damaged tree.

The beetles are enticed to foliage which has already been damaged by other beetles. It seems they are attracted to plants have that have already been weakened by their skeletonized foliage. So a Japanese beetle infestation feeds on itself, drawing more more beetles to the area.

Japanese beetles also have the tendency to swarm together. They are magnetized by the presence of others of their kind because it is a sign that good food and water is in the area.

Even though the beetle traps are amazing at catching the insects, it is not recommended that you use them in your lawn or garden. The traps are so good at attracting Japanese beetles that it will only make your infestation worse by drawing in beetles from the surrounding area. It’s better to use milky spore or another insecticide to take care of the infestation.