How to spot it

Shiny metallic green beetles about 1/2 inch long with copper wing covers and small white tufts along the sides. They feed in groups on sunny afternoons in early to midsummer. The larvae are C-shaped white grubs in lawns.

What it does

They eat the leaf between the veins so leaves look like lace, and chew flowers, fruit, and corn silks.

What to do now

• Shake or pick beetles into soapy water in the early morning, when they're slow.
• Don't hang beetle traps near the garden: they draw in more beetles than they catch.
• Neem or pyrethrin can help in a bad year.

Keep it away next time

• Cover favorite crops with row cover or netting in early summer.
• Treat nearby lawns for grubs with milky spore or beneficial nematodes.
• Start picking early: damaged leaves draw more beetles.

Helpful supplies

Affiliate links: we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

Plants it affects