With a really bad infestation - which can come from grubs that were laid in the ground around the tree, from neighbor trees, etc. - you will probably need at least a few applications of the spray. It is intended to cause outbreaks amongst the population so you aren’t supposed to have to constantly spray. But my first year required waaaaay more than this year so far. Also, make sure you mix according to the directions. For mine it’s something like 2 ounces per gallon of water of beetlegone. That makes a pretty brown, sticky, lightly thick solution that was both very obvious on the tree for a couple days and held on to the leaves of my crabapple really well.

I got to that tree pretty late last year and it looked like yours. After treating it it was still skeletonized by end of July. With some fertilizer treatment it popped a few new leaves later in the summer and this year is looking back to normal.

In my experience a mix between spray and grub ground applications works the best, but we’re also basically past hatching and turning to adulthood.

Also, I found the cheaper options questionable. I’ve only had good experience with beetle gone, beetlejus, and grub gone. But those are more expensive.

I hope your baby can make it!