In this Canton Repository article, Zachary Loraditch from Davey's Canton office talks about how Japanese beetles pose a threat to your garden and what you can do about it.

Posted: August 14, 2025

A garden with red and white flowered plants along a stone wall.Some uninvited guests might be living rent-free in your garden.

Japanese beetle season is in full swing in Northeast Ohio, as the pests emerge from underground in the summer months. The critters feed on a wide variety of plant species, commonly posing a threat to landscapes and gardens.

"Beneath the soil, growing grubs gnaw on grass roots causing turf to brown and die," according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "Adult beetles feed on more than 300 ornamental and agricultural plants. They chew large, irregular holes between leaf veins, which makes the leaves resemble a piece of lace."

Zachary Loraditch, a certified arborist for The Davey Tree Expert Company in Kent, said the Northeast Ohio area hasn't been hit as hard by the species this year, but vigilance is still important.

"This season, we've actually been a little bit lucky," he said. "They're not quite as bad for us this year as we've seen in some years in the past, but that's also relative to that insect. It loves to do its thing, even when populations are low."

To continue reading this article, click here. 

For more information, contact the Canton office. 

The Davey Tree Expert Company, headquartered in Kent, Ohio, provides research-driven tree services, grounds maintenance and environmental and utility infrastructure consulting for residential, utility, commercial and environmental partners in the U.S. and Canada. As one of the top ten largest employee-owned companies in the U.S., Davey's 12,000 employees have been dedicated to creating and delivering sustainable solutions since 1880. Apply today to join the Davey legacy, and learn about how we're growing with our new SEED Campus

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