Japanese beetle

Gardens, agricultural fields, orchards, and yards with abundant vegetation and turfgrass.

Adults feed on the foliage, flowers, and fruits of over 300 plant species, leaving a skeletonized leaf pattern. Larvae (grubs) feed on the roots of grasses.

Adults are active during warm summer days, often aggregating in large numbers to feed and mate. Females burrow into soil to lay eggs, and resulting grubs overwinter underground.

Risks: Major agricultural and garden pest that causes severe damage to crops, ornamental plants, and lawns. Benefits: None to the local ecosystem where introduced, though they serve as prey for various birds and small mammals.