Beetle problem

Question: Could you tell me what kind of beetle is eating the leaves of our European Mountain Ash tree (photos attached)? And how to stop them?

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 21, 2024, 7:27 AM EDT
response: Hello Paul,  Thank you for including such clear pictures.  The beetle that you are seeing is a rose chafer.  Following are a couple of articles that will help you identify what they are and how they behave, as well as how to mitigate the problem.  https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/rose-chafers  https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=864205  If your infestation is small picking them off seems to be the best option for control.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 21, 2024, 8:48 AM EDT
response: Thank you. Just an FYI. The second link doesn’t load.  On Fri, Jun 21, 2024 at 7:27 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 21, 2024, 9:08 AM EDT
response: Hello Paul:  Our apologies that the second link did not work.  Here is some additional info. for you.  I hope this helps!  As you now know, Rose Chafers are tan, slender beetles with a reddish head and spiny reddish legs. They feed on the upper surface of leaves and petals leaving a skeletonized appearance to the leaf. They feed on a wide variety of host plants including flowers (such as roses and peonies), vegetables, fruits (such as apples, raspberries, strawberries, grapes), and trees. The beetles are poisonous to birds and small animals.  The flying adult beetles emerge in late May/ early June and live for approximately one month. The females lay eggs, preferably in sandy soil, that hatch yielding white grubs that feed on the roots of turf and other plants. As the temperatures drop the grubs move deeper into the soil to overwinter. In early spring they migrate upward and pupate yielding the flying adults. There is only one generation per year. I recommend you to try to practice Integrated Pest Management (see IPM overview below). It is usually not practical to eliminate a pest completely but you may be able to decrease the  population to a level where there will be minimal damage. Knowing the life cycle of the pest helps in planning the management. I wanted to provide some information on the use of beneficial nematodes for controlling Rose Chafer, in case you decide to give it a try. This intervention is directed at the grub phase of the Rose Chafer. There are a variety of nematodes available so you need to ensure that the nematodes that you use are active against the Rose Chafer grub. As the grubs move toward the soil surface in early spring that would be the time to apply the nematodes. If the temperatures are still cool the grubs may be too deep in the soil to be accessible to the nematodes. You will need to keep the soil moist after the nematode application as  nematodes will die if the weather is too dry and warm. Even if you treat the Rose Chafer grubs in your yard, adult Rose Chafer beetles can fly to your landscape from sites outside of your property.  Scouting for the adult beetles on your plants in early May is a first step. You can cover your at-risk plants (if possible) with row cover to prevent access. As the adult flying Rose Chafer feeds during the day you can hand pick the beetles and drop them into a bucket of soapy water to kill them. These techniques may not be effective for heavy infestations. There are a  number of potential chemical controls but chemical control should be reserved as a last resort. The chemical compounds can be toxic to bees and other beneficial insects. Heavy infestations may require repeated chemical applications for control.  Here are some references : https://www.uvm.edu/~entlab/Landscape%20IPM/WhitegrubsinsoilJune2023.pdf https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/rose-chafer https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/rose-chafers https://www.uvm.edu/sites/default/files/Extension-Community-Horticulture/Resources/IPMOverview2023.pdf