# Japanese Beetle (*Popillia japonica*) Japanese Beetles are shiny green and bronze beetles. They love to munch on leaves and flowers in gardens! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 93 - **Habitat:** Gardens and fields - **Also known as:** Japanese Rose Beetle, Popillia Beetle ![Japanese Beetle](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426454/objects/5497.jpg) ## Appearance The Japanese Beetle has a shiny, iridescent metallic green head and thorax. Its wing covers are coppery-brown, and it features five distinct patches of white hair along each side of its abdomen, with two more at the tip, making it visually unique. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Scarabaeidae - **Genus:** Popillia ## Interesting facts - A single female Japanese beetle can lay up to 60 eggs in the soil during her short summer lifespan! - Japanese beetle grubs live underground for months, happily munching on grass roots before they become adult beetles. - These beetles were first accidentally brought to America hidden in a shipment of iris bulbs in 1916! - They can skeletonize leaves, eating only the soft parts and leaving behind just the veins, making plants look like lace! ## Special abilities - **Plant Chomper:** Japanese Beetle can devour a wide variety of plants using powerful chewing mouthparts that help them feed quickly. - **Scent Magnet:** Japanese Beetle has special scent glands that release pheromones, helping them attract many other beetles to new food sources. - **Quick Escape:** Japanese Beetle can fly swiftly with strong wings, allowing them to rapidly move between plants or escape from threats. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 12-15 mm - **Size:** 8-11 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding These tiny plant-eaters munch on leaves, flowers, and fruits, causing damage to many different plants. - **Age differences:** Larvae (grubs) live underground, eating plant roots, while adults feed on leaves, flowers, and fruits above ground. - **Primary Foods:** Rose, Grape, Corn, Linden Tree, Apple Tree, Turfgrass Roots - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [European Starling](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-starling) (*Sturnus vulgaris*) — Adult beetles are a common food source for these adaptable birds. - **Parasitizes:** Spring Tiphia Wasp (*Tiphia vernalis*) — Wasp larvae grow inside and consume Japanese beetle grubs. - **Eats:** Gallica Rose (*Rosa gallica*) — Adult beetles feed heavily on rose leaves and flowers, causing damage. - **Eats:** [Corn](https://www.snappit.app/explore/corn) (*Zea mays*) — Beetles chew on corn silk, which can prevent successful pollination. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects-and-bugs) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not touch or pick up. Some insects sting or bite. Ask an adult for help. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Japanese Beetle? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Japanese Beetle's wingspan? 12-15 mm ### How big is Japanese Beetle? 8-11 mm ### How long does Japanese Beetle live? 30-60 days ### How fast can Japanese Beetle fly? 10 km/h ### What does Japanese Beetle eat? These tiny plant-eaters munch on leaves, flowers, and fruits, causing damage to many different plants. ### Where is Japanese Beetle usually found? Gardens and fields ### How does Japanese Beetle hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [American Baptist College](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/american-baptist-college) — Tennessee, US · Campus - [Anderson University](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/anderson-university) — South Carolina, US · Campus - [Ashley River Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ashley-river-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Broadway Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadway-avenue-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Burke Lake Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/burke-lake-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Central Shelby Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/central-shelby-historic-district) — North Carolina, US · Historic District [View all places to see Japanese Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/japanese-beetle) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Japanese Beetle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/japanese-beetle)