Asiatic Garden Beetles - extreme defoliation

One of my garden friends contacted me yesterday about some extreme defoliation that happened overnight. Peppers, sunflowers, basil - the damage was incredible. When she checked at night, they were covered in Asiatic Garden Beetles. I’m near Reading, PA and she is further south in Montgomery county PA. I just found one on my dahlias. Has anyone had problems with these? How long are they active? I’ll be hand picking like mad if they show up here like they did at her house!

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You should keep a bottle of pyrethrin and become familiar with it’s use so you are prepared for emergencies like these.

I could be wrong, but that pic doesn’t look like Japanese beetles to me. Looks like some type of chafer to me.

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Looks like june bugs.

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They are The Asiatic garden beetle, Maladera castanea, a relative of Japanese beetles. They are not June bugs, but similar. Active at night only.

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Asiatic garden beetle is the correct ID.

There are many look-alike brownish scarabs, different species are often a different size.
Feeding habits (such as night-time) can also be particular to one species.

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