©Marlene Condon
June 13, 2020
I truly enjoy seeing insects that are gayly colored. One such insect is the June beetle species, Cotinis nitida, that typically comes out in — you guessed it — June.
However, its exact emergence date depends upon how cold or warm the spring has been. Warmer temps bring about an earlier emergence while colder ones delay it.
The upper side of the adult is usually emerald green with a ring of orange encircling it, making this beetle easy to identify. Many folks know it as a June bug, but the scientific grouping of “bugs” has different physical characteristics.
If you’re observant, you may notice the June beetle looks similar in form to the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica), and indeed, they are related. Both species belong to the same Family: the scarabs. You may think of Japanese beetles as “pests,” and online, it seems every entomologist includes the June beetle in that same unbecoming category. But there are no “pests;” there are just people living out of sync with the natural world.
In a nature-friendly garden, your natural system of checks and balances is in place to limit the numbers of insects and other kinds of organisms. Without that natural system, populations become unsustainable, forcing gardeners to poison their world with pesticides that kill numerous other critters along with the ones they’re wanting to kill.
If you wish to be able to enjoy the beauty of these insects (the Japanese beetle is truly a thing of beauty) instead of fretting over their presence, then consider making changes in your landscape. The main step is to limit the amount of lawn you grow. The larvae of these insects, known as grubs, feed upon grass roots.
Obviously then, the more lawn you grow, the more grubs you produce. People often turn to milky spore disease, a microbial agent that might limit populations after a few years. But because it is nonselective and thus kills native grubs that are unlikely to be overly numerous (you shouldn’t object to supporting a limited number of native organisms that are necessary for the environment to function properly), it’s not your best choice.
A better choice is to allow natural predators to control populations. Moles in your lawn advise you of the grubs’ presence and tell you not to worry because they’re making sure there won’t be too many grubs. I know, you don’t like tunnels in the lawn, but the moles will move on as soon as they’ve eaten so many grubs that it becomes inefficient for them to find the food they need. You can simply squish the tunnels back down with your feet, with no harm done to your lawn.
Additionally, moles don’t charge you for aeration services. Yes, their tunnels naturally aerate the soil so plant roots of all kinds, including those of your grass, can get the oxygen they need, as well as water from rain.
Don’t dislike moles. For just a bit of tolerance on your part, they will take good care of you!