If elm leaf beetles enter the home, remove them with a vacuum cleaner. Follow label instructions. Aerosol foggers or fumigators are appropriate for attics and crawl spaces. If possible, remove accumulations of dead beetles because they may attract carpet beetles and other secondary pests. Outdoors To minimize leaf injury to elms, apply an insecticide after eggs have hatched and while larvae are small.
Thorough coverage is essential.
High-pressure sprayers are necessary to obtain coverage in large trees. Also, lay boards or pieces of carpet beneath the tree to attract larvae. Large numbers of larvae or yellow pupae that accumulate beneath can be treated with a contact insecticide. Other options for control include injection of a systemic insecticide into the tree trunk, or pre-season application of systemic insecticide granules into the soil beneath the tree to prevent foliar injury. These procedures are best accomplished by a professional arborist or certified applicator.