Green June Beetle on Grapes
Return to Insect Pests
Green June beetle (Cotinis nitida) adults are about 1 inch long with dull, metallic green wings and bronze to yellow margins on their head and sides; undersides are shiny green. Larvae are cream-colored, up to 2 inches long, and crescent-shaped. Larvae crawl on their backs and project legs upward when moving. Berries are susceptible to adult beetle feeding as fruit turn color and soften, leading to damage near harvest of early-ripening cultivars. Green June beetle only feeds on fruit, not on foliage.
Green June beetle adults feeding on fruit.
(Photo: John Strang, University of Kentucky)
Green June beetle larva.
(Photo: Ric Bessin, University of Kentucky)
Management:
- Apply insecticides, as needed (especially during harvest).
- In backyard and other small plantings, use netting with a mesh ¼ inch or smaller to exclude beetles.
