Q: When turning my compost pile, I uncovered a number of big, fat grubs. They were about the size of my thumb! Are they harmful? A: These are most likely the larvae of fig beetles (Cotinis mutabilis).

Pest damage on our beautiful rose blooms rankles deeply, but it motivates us to take the appropriate actions to put the culprits to rest. Two types of pest beetles are annual regulars in our San Diego ...

During the heatwave, I spread a layer of mulch over my backyard in preparation for fruit tree planting and by the next day found a number of dead, shiny green beetles on top of the mulch. These were ...

Pest damage on our beautiful rose blooms rankles deeply, but it motivates us to take the appropriate actions to put the culprits to rest. There are two pest beetles that are annual “regulars” in our ...

After writing about the fig beetle – a shiny green scarab beetle that feeds on overripe fruit and decomposing organic matter – I received the following email from Elizabeth Russell, who gardens in ...

Question: Last week I discovered more than 30 dead or dying fig beetles under a desert willow that grew from seed near the foundation of my home. We had decided to leave the tree, and it has grown at ...

Now other young fig trees in the park are under attack and could also die. Warringah Council has sprayed some of the affected trees but Curl Curl Lagoon Friends spokesman David Platter said the ...