Got Beetles?
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Anyone that takes care of a pool knows that inthe last couple of weeks you've probably been fishing out a bunch of brown or brownish silver "bugs". These "bugs" aremostly Orientalbeetles, June Bugs and Asiatic garden beetles. These beetles, along with Japanese Beetles are the adults of the "whitegrub" complex that affects many lawns, but can also affect many different vegetable and small fruit crops. Theadults can feed on leaves of plants such as sunflowers, basil, raspberries, carrots,beets and a 100 other different plants. Japanese beetles can also be found in the silks of sweet corn whenpopulations are high. Although that canbe a problem, the majority of the damage in vegetables comes from the larvae or "white grub" stage feeding on the roots of several different root crops such as sweet potato, carrots and even Irish potatoes. Their long narrow tunnels can cause many roots to be unmarketable. I dusted off an old article written by former Cornell Cooperative Extension Vegetable Specialist Amy Ivy on how to identify the different beetles and grubs that might be lurking in your fields, lawn and pool!
Got Grubs? (pdf; 746KB)
Apples
Apricots
Asparagus
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cherries
Cucumbers
Dry Beans
Eggplant
Ethnic Vegetables
Garlic
Grapes
Horseradish
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce / Leafy Greens
Melons
Nectarines
Onions
Parsnips
Peaches
Pears
Peas
Peppers
Plums
Potatoes
Pumpkins / Gourds
Radishes
Raspberries / Blackberries
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Snap Beans
Squash - Summer
Squash- Winter
Strawberries
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Upcoming Events
New Farm Manager Skills Day - Get the Tools You Need to Grow Your People (Hudson Valley)
March 10, 2026 : New Farm Manager Skills Day - Get the Tools You Need to Grow Your People
Millbrook, NY
Are you moving into a supervisory farm management role this season and want to get off to a good start? Are you an experienced manager who wants to connect with other "people" managers and work on your skills? This one-day workshop is for you!
SPARC WSU Tree Fruit Heat School
March 11, 2026
As part of our multi-state SPARC SCRI project on mitigating orchard heat and cold stress, the WSU Tree Fruit Heat School will focus on understanding and managing heat-related challenges in apple and pear production. The program brings together research-based insights and applied discussions on sunburn physiology and mitigation, red color development in apples and pears, and the impacts of heat on postharvest storage and fruit quality. Each session will include an expert presentation, followed by a panel discussion with panelists from across the US.
Urban Ag Food Safety Webinar
March 11, 2026
Urban and small-scale producers are encouraged to join us for the Urban Ag Food Safety webinar, featuring speakers from Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell IPM. We will explore the 'why' behind food safety, providing a basic overview and diving into specific urban ag considerations including water, pest, rodent, and soil health challenges. We will touch on the regulation and marketing landscape, and share resources for learning more. Bring your questions!