If you have a green thumb, chances are you may have noticed some significant damage to your plants recently. That damage is being attributed to Japanese Beetles.

Japanese Beetles are not native to the U.S., but they make their yearly appearance every July. The insects can cause serious damage to plants if an infestation is not controlled.

Their tiny but sharp teeth chew through more than 300 species of plants. Such as grapevines, rose bushes, and fruit trees. Their copper colored wings and green heads make them easy to spot and easy to get rid of. Drowning them is recommended.

Eric Barrett of the OSU Extension calls them "skeletonizers" who feed on plants and leave behind stressed and damaged leaves. The beetles eat the areas between the veins of leaves. 

Barret believes handpicking the beetles off the plants and and into a cup or soap and a half an inch of water is one of the most effective repellents. 

"Just Brush those insects into the water. If you do that, especially when you're first seeing [the beetles], you're going to reduce populations," Barrett told 21 News. 

Barrett says if you use an insecticide, it should be sprayed directly on the beetles, but this solution should be a last resort. He adds that beetle traps are ineffective and will attract more beetles to the plants.