Oriental Beetles

Damage caused by the Oriental Beetles

Adults of oriental beetles feed on the leaves of many vegetables but their grubs feed on the roots of cool season turfgrass and some ornamental crops.

Facts (show all)

+Common names

• Oriental Beetles

+Scientific name

• Exomala orientalis

+Identification

Adults: Adults of oriental beetles are brown to straw colored with black marking of the fore wings and thorax. Beetles with dark black head capsules and about 13-14 mm long.

Eggs: Oval in shape and whitish in color.

Grubs: Creamy color with reddish brown head capsule and three pairs of thoracic legs. Grub bodies are C- shaped and 1.25 inches long.

Pupae: Creamy white to reddish brown in color.

+Biology

Oriental beetles generally take one year to complete their life cycles. Oriental beetles overwinter as third stage grubs deep in the soil. Grubs move back in the turf root-zone when temperature warms up early in the spring and begin feeding on turf roots until they become mature within 5 weeks. Matured grubs then pupate in the soil. Adult beetles then emerge from pupae by June. After mating, females lay eggs in the groups of over 20 eggs in the soil. Eggs hatch within 3 weeks into small grubs that feed on turfgrass roots and on the organic matter. While feeding, grubs complete three developmental stages (instars). Then third stage larvae move deep in the soil for overwintering and life cycle continues.

+ Organic Control of the Oriental Beetles

• Following beneficial bugs and plant products are used for organic control of the Oriental Beetles

+Beneficial Nematodes

• Heterorhabditis bacteriophora
• Heterorhabditis indica
• Steinernema carpocapsae

+Plant product from neem tree seeds

• Molt-X- Active ingradient is Azadirachtin

Click each of the following beneficial bugs or plant product for more information on their rates and methods of applications for the effective control of the Oriental Beetles.