The beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, can feast on a wide variety of plants, including fruits and vegetables. But within 30 minutes of consuming geranium petals, the beetle rolls over on its back, its legs and antennae slowly twitch, and it remains paralyzed for several hours. The beetles typically recover within 24 hours when paralyzed under laboratory conditions, but they often succumb to death under field conditions after predators spot and devour the beetles while they are helpless.

Agricultural Research Service entomologist Chris Ranger at the agency’s Application Technology Research Unit in Wooster, OH, is working on developing a way to use geraniums to control the beetles.