Hawthorne’s Riverfront Lifestyle and Vibrant Downtown

Garden Destroyers, Sap Suckers, and Crumby Contaminators

Hawthorne is home to a broad mix of beetles, roaches, spiders, rodents, and more. Seasonal infestations are common both indoors and in yards. 

Japanese beetles were accidentally introduced to New Jersey during the 1916 World’s Fair. Now, they’re among the most annoying garden pests; they feed on over 300 plant species, destroying rose bushes, apple trees, grapevines, and whatever they’ve got a hankering for. They don’t like dining alone, preferring to go out to lunch with their friends and release chemicals that tell other beetles about the all-you-can-eat buffet near the berry bushes.

Aphids are tiny, sap-sucking insects that are more harmful to your yard than to your kitchen. Like spotted lanternflies, they leave behind a honeydew that invites mold growth on plants and trees. Their reproduction is similar to that of clover mites; since most aphids are female, they reproduce without mating. In a parenting parlor trick, some aphids are already pregnant when they’re born.

Cockroaches existed long before the dinosaurs (and, clearly, long after, too). They’re difficult to keep out of homes because of their wide-ranging interests and are attracted to everything from glue, spills, and crumbs to dirty dishes, grease, and toothpaste. They’re fast, too; some species can run up to three miles an hour.

Pantry moths infest . . . you guessed it, pantries! They’re brought in with dried goods from the grocery store, including rice, beans, crackers, pasta, and more. Infestations can hide in plain sight at the “grain” site, especially in the larval stage. But this isn’t always true; some larvae chew through plastic and cardboard or leave the pantry entirely, ending up on the kitchen counter, cabinets, or even ceilings.

Spiders are common in Hawthorne, and the Brown Recluse is among the most feared. Because this species is not native to New Jersey, it’s rare to see one, but it’s not unheard of. They come to town in moving boxes, commercial shipments, and vehicles. Their bites are toxic, but most venomous spider bites in the Garden State trace back to the Black Widow.