Natural Ways to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles?

There are a few types of organic Japanese beetle killers and repellents that you can use if you would prefer to steer clear of chemical pesticides.

Luckily, some of the best beetle control products are all-natural so there’s really no need, from a practical standpoint, to use anything else. Some off-the-shelf chemical pesticides may kill a wider range of pests than intended.

To get rid of Japanese beetles the organic way, there are two products that I would recommend. The easiest one to find is called diatomaceous earth. It is made of crushed fossils and is used to control a variety of insects from fleas to cockroaches to beetles. Diatomaceous earth can be found at your local Home Depot or hardware store.

The second product I would recommend is actually the best for controlling Japanese beetles. It’s called milky spore powder and it will probably be easiest to order it online and have it shipped to you rather than searching around town.

The reason I recommend milky spore the most is because it is specifically tailored to deal with a Japanese beetle infestation. It is less likely to harm other insects in your garden that you do not wish to eradicate.

During the larval stage of the Japanese beetle life cycle, the larva are highly susceptible to milky spore disease. This disease is caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus and kills the beetle larva before they are able to develop into the adults that eat your trees and plants in your garden.

Milky spore will not affect the adult Japanese beetles, however, so it will take some time to completely get rid of the infestation. It will essentially stop the larval stage of development and thereby shut off the pipeline of adults that emerge every summer.

I will mention that kaolin spray is another natural product that can be effective at controlling Japanese beetles. Again, it is somewhat difficult to find it in retail stores but it is an option if you come across it.