One of our old friends is again back in our fields this year. Japanese Beetles are being found in parts of the corn belt, and in abundant numbers. We know it doesn’t take long for the populations to take off. While they are more pest than a problem, that doesn’t mean you should ignore them. There are reasons to deal with them.
Entomologist Nick Seiter says that while we want to keep the populations from getting out of hand, there is no reason to panic if we see them in our fields.
Seeing a Japanese beetle or two munching on corn silk is not the end of the world and is nothing to worry about unless they are dropping them below half an inch during pollination.
Seiter says that the damage these insects do is minimal, and there usually isn’t a reason to put on another application of insecticide for them unless you and your crop advisor think they are approaching some of those high-risk milestones.
Seiter also says that he gets more questions from producers on the damage they may do to soybeans more so than corn.
If you are asking yourself, “Why bother to scout if the Japanese Beetles aren’t statistically a huge threat?” The answer is simple, just because they aren’t likely to be a huge threat, doesn’t mean they couldn’t become one. Always consult with an agronomist, extension entomologist, or crop advisor to see if the damage you see is severe enough to warrant action. A lot of times it will look worse than what it actually is.
