Japanese beetles are in full feeding mode across Williamson County this month, and they're not picky. Roses get hit hardest, but they'll skeletonize the leaves of maples, birches, and linden trees too, leaving behind a lacy pattern where the green tissue used to be.
A few weeks of heavy feeding rarely kills an established tree outright, but repeated seasons of damage add stress a tree has to recover from every time, especially alongside the summer heat Middle Tennessee sees this time of year.
Timing matters with treatment options, and the beetles are typically most active for a several week window before activity tapers off toward late summer.
Have you noticed skeletonized leaves or clusters of beetles on anything in your yard this month?
#TreeHealth
Close-up photo of skeletonized leaves or Japanese beetle clusters on a tree or rose bush. Authentic property photography preferred over stock imagery.
Canva text suggestion: "Japanese Beetles Are Active Right Now" or "Skeletonized Leaves? Here's Why"