The Japanese beetle causes substantial economic damage to many agricultural crops and landscape plants. Females of this species lay eggs primarily in grassy areas, yet the process of oviposition site selection is not well understood. The role of peripheral sensory structures, and host plant suitability in Japanese beetle oviposition behavior were examined in experiments conducted in 2004 to investigate external and internal factors influencing egglaying. Detailed video observations in laboratory arenas revealed that females evaluate the plant medium before digging for oviposition. Selective ablation was employed to identify the structures involved in detection of oviposition cues, and choice-tests were conducted to determine the cues employed during oviposition site selection. These results will be discussed in the context of their significance for behavioral control of this insect.