Japanese Beetles

Looking ahead to summer, what has worked best for others to curb the onslaught of japanese beetles that decimate so many plants? The summer before last I sprayed some milky spore solution on my garden but saw no difference. These nasty critters ate my okra blossoms off til they killed the plants and after the first flush of roses, they systematically ate every bud and potential blossom to the bare stem. I have sprayed them with some type of "safe" pesticide but I'm not interested in using conventional poisons in my garden. Don't really want to go back to traps either. Years ago I had them and fed the beetles to my chickens, so in effect, I guess I ate the dratted beetles after they were transformed into chicken eggs! No more chickens and I believe the lures draw more beetles to the area.

Good Morning! I agree with you on the traps - my local extension office says to buy the traps and give them to your neighbors! LOL!

I also asked my ext. office about milky spore and was told it was not as effective as promised and not to bother with it. My father however remembers it working for him years ago.

Last year, I started off with picking them off by hand (YUCK) and dropping them in soapy water. That worked in the beginning but then the swarm arrived and I ended spraying but by then it was really too late and they really messed up my cherry trees. My husband sprayed my weeping cherry with a systemic and I think he ended up killing my favorite tree with too strong a solution but won't really know until Spring.

All that useless information aside - this year I am going to use liquid Sevin. I hate to do it but my trees just can't take another year like last year. They are still young trees. As long as you don't get a lot of rain Sevin works (I've used it in the past) and they don't come back to the tree either. It's milder than some other pesticides.

Good luck!! I am watching this thread to get some more ideas on these nasty insects. I hate em!!!!

Nicole (hmmm maybe I should get some chickens)

I used Milky Spore for two years and didn't notice any difference until the 3rd year - - but I definitely had fewer beetles last year. I also hand picked for about 3 weeks last year but to my amazement after that, the beetles weren't much of a problem.

I also planted a row of 4 o'clocks which many DGer's swear by to reduce numbers. Apparently the foliage is poisonous to the beetles. All I know is that I had fewer beetles and a much reduced time frame.

Edited to say - - when I used Milky Spore, I applied it to my entire yard as well as the garden area, with particular attention to the areas that beetles tended to congregate, like around my Japanese Maples and Crape Myrtles.

This message was edited Feb 2, 2005 10:08 AM

roseone33- you wrote - "I believe the lures draw more beetles to the area." Please tell me what a "lures" is.

Thanks,

Judy

Bag a bug! The one's on the hooks. Get some for your neighbors! :)

A lure, as I'm sure you probaby know, is an sexual phenerome used to attract the little darlings into a bright yellow bag from which they can't escape. You then dispose of the bag as you see fit.

...duh !!! I didn't know because, knock on wood, I haven't had a problem with beetles YET, but I have seen similar bags for flies and wasps.

I have been told there are certain plants that actually attract the beetles to your area then they eat most everything. Naturally, I do NOT want these plants therefore I am anxious to find a listing. I think I'll search the Internet again. Perhaps my first search wasn't complete enough.

Judy

Well, I don't know all the plants t they really like but in my yard they like:
Cherry Trees-really like these
Zinnias
Hollyhocks
Grape Vine
Castor Beans

Don't eat:
Most veggies
Wildflowers
Grasses
Golden Raintree (they eat flowers but no leaves)
Coleus

I am sure I will think of more after I hit send.

Nicole

It would be a losing battle for me to fight them here. Way too much ground to cover. The moles sure like them, but that creates another problem! lol

They seem to love the corkscrew hazel, blooms of the hibiscus and any rose blossom here in my garden. Those are the things that stand out in my mind that they like.

Roses! They devour roses! And they lived in swarm-like numbers on my wild blackberry vines in the brush part of the yard.

GRACIOUS!!! Here is one link

Keeping JB at Bay:
Best and Worst Plants To Have in Your Yard

The actual list is way low in the article, but the information on the way is interesting.

http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housing/japanese-beetle/jbeetle.html

Judy, you are so very fortunate not to be in JB territory. Thanks for the link. I guess I will try the milky spore and nematodes again and hope for the best.