Green June Bugs

These large beetles feed on sweet corn, blackberries, and peaches. They look much like the common May beetle, or June bug, but have a dull, velvety green color. The underside is more of an iridescent green. These beetles have poor navigational skills and seem to fly until they hit something. They also make a buzzing sound somewhat like a bumblebee. Unfortunately, they are also about the size of a bumblebee and so cause concern for many gardeners even though they cannot harm people. As noted above, they may damage crops.


A number of general-use insecticides, including acetamiprid (Ortho Flower, Fruit & Vegetable Insect Killer), carbaryl (Sevin) and malathion, may be used to discourage feeding. See table below for what can be used and the number of days between application and harvest.

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Insecticide	Peaches	Blackberries, raspberries	Sweet Corn
Carbaryl	3*	7	2
Malathion	7	1	--------
Acetamiprid	7	1	-------

* Days to Harvest

​Sevin has a two-day waiting period between spraying and harvest on sweet corn and a three-day waiting period on peaches. There is a seven-day waiting period for Sevin on blackberries, so malathion, with a one-day waiting period, may be a better choice.  Acetamiprid has a 7 day waiting period on peaches and a 1 day waiting period on blackberries and raspberries. (Ward Upham)