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How to Get Rid of Fig Beetles Without Toxic Chemicals

Consider yourself lucky if fig beetles are the extent of your pest problems! Some people welcome them as harbingers of warm summer days and garden bounties to come.

But, they can actually lessen your garden bounty and be a nuisance if they’re feeding on your crop before you get around to harvesting it.

I used to battle figeater beetles in my garden every summer until I learned a few simple tricks to get rid of fig beetles organically and keep their populations in check. I’ll show you how!

1. Control during the larval stage.

Since the grubs live in and thrive on decaying matter, turn over any piles of mulch, compost, leaf litter, grass clippings, and animal manure frequently in spring.

2. Remove their food sources.

Fig beetles are attracted to soft, mushy, damaged fruit, so pick all your fruits as soon as they ripen, remove any that have been nibbled on by other pests, and don’t let lots of fruit rot on the ground.

3. Use physical barriers on your fruit trees and shrubs.

If you can’t get around to harvesting your fruits as often as you should, consider covering your trees and shrubs with a physical barrier, which will keep fig beetles, birds, and other pests off your fruits.

4. Hand-pick fig beetles as you find them.

To eliminate fig beetles the old-fashioned way, hand-pick each one and drop it into a bucket of soapy water.

5. Make a bottle trap to lure fig beetles.

There are many variations of homemade bottle traps, but the easiest one to make only requires a soda bottle and some bait.

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