RADIO TRANSCRIPT
July 29, 2024
Matt Rodriguez

This is Matt Rodriguez, horticulture agent with the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Burke County Center.

I have started seeing June bugs out in the lawn and thought now would be a good time to talk about them. June bugs, as we know them, are green emerald beetles that hover and fly around and into the sides of buildings and windows. These beetles are not too worrisome, but can damage small fruits and leaves leaving a “skeletonization” effect. While June Bugs are opportunistic eaters, their preference is figs so be mindful if you start seeing activity near your trees. The beetles will also prey upon grapes, but they prefer overripe grapes, so harvesting grapes at the correct time can mitigate this damage. They are an annual kind of insect with emergence being in the end of July into August and lasting for a few weeks until eggs hatch and the larvae overwinter in the soil. Now thankfully their damage is usually minimal and their presence can be ignored. If you are worried about June bugs eating the leaves on your plants then you can use a dose of Sevin dust.

This has been Matt Rodriguez, horticulture agent with N.C. Cooperative Extension, Burke County Center. For more information, call us at 828-764-9480.