Japanese Beetle Control

[racer12306]

Last year Japanese Beetles took over. I tried the traps for a while, but would fill a bag every other day at each (3-4) trap and it seemed to make it worse. The best thing I did was start spraying my roses then repeating when it seemed like they would start sticking to them again.

I'm trying to get a head of it this year. I've read some about grub control and trying to figure out what I really need to do.

Should I be more worried about the flower beds and mulched areas or should I go and treat my entire 1.3 acre property. I'm not liking the cost of treating the whole property so I'm looking for options and opinions on how to effectively handle this.

 

[John_K]

When I was a kid we had them bad. My Dad would just treat the roses and the grapevine. Sometimes they drown in the pool so perhaps a container of water would help?

John

 

[Donald]

Grubs turn into Japanese Beetles. Treat for grubs.

 

[KevinP64]

I think Milky spore is a common treatment but won't help you this year and i think it needs repeat applications every so often. Looked into it yrs ago. I spray but try to be minimal with it. I don't use traps--why attract them when you want to get rid of them. They don't really bother my carpet or fairy roses but they love the crepe myrtle. Stink bugs are my problem. Good luck.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Grubs turn into Japanese Beetles. Treat for grubs.


Japanese beetle can fly for miles, a half mile in just a couple of hours. He'll have to do a lot of grub control.

Most of the Japanese Beetle IPM searches come up with the same results: http://www.ipm.msu.edu/green_industry/landscape/japanese_beetle

Traps often attract more beetles to the area. Garlic is rumored to repel Japanese.....Beetles.

 

[TWG1572]

The only thing I've found effective is periodically spraying my roses and raspberries, which are the only two things of mine that they seem attracted to.

As mentioned above, milky spore will help to control the grub population. But the adults will just fly in from your neighbor's anyway. So unless you are concerned with the damage the grubs are doing to your lawn, I would not recommend going that route.

Luckily Sevin seems to be pretty effective. So far.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: KevinP64
I think Milky spore is a common treatment but won't help you this year and i think it needs repeat applications every so often. Looked into it yrs ago. I spray but try to be minimal with it. I don't use traps--why attract them when you want to get rid of them. They don't really bother my carpet or fairy roses but they love the crepe myrtle. Stink bugs are my problem. Good luck.


Milky spore is a natural bacterial product that can really work if you are willing to put a little time into it. I bought the powder and had to walk around both lawns with a spoon leaving dollops every few feet...I did it just as rain was moving in so I wouldn't have to water it in. I did this in a season in which my shrubs were just swarming with the beetles and I was sick of watching them mating everywhere I looked. I must have killed hundreds of them with my hands because I was so tired of the things.
The year after the milky spore, no beetles. It was like magic. I will say that I am on 3+ acres and the neighbors are a ways away, but I basically went to zero beetles.
The box says it lasts 10 to 20 years...11 years after my application, I had a horrible infestation again. Reapplied and it has been good for about 5 years. BTW, treat the lawns because they feed on the roots of your grass...leave the planting beds and woods alone.

If you are thinking about using standard grub control, read the bag carefully before buying it...it was enough to make me decide to NEVER use it. The warnings said it would kill wildlife and pets if they got in your lawn too soon after the application...guess this was nearly 20 years ago, but I doubt much has changed.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: racer12306
Last year Japanese Beetles took over. I tried the traps for a while, but would fill a bag every other day at each (3-4) trap and it seemed to make it worse. The best thing I did was start spraying my roses then repeating when it seemed like they would start sticking to them again.

I'm trying to get a head of it this year. I've read some about grub control and trying to figure out what I really need to do.

Should I be more worried about the flower beds and mulched areas or should I go and treat my entire 1.3 acre property. I'm not liking the cost of treating the whole property so I'm looking for options and opinions on how to effectively handle this.



Our 1-acre property in VA is the same. First year, used 1 trap and it was filled almost daily. Nasty too.

Ended up putting out 4 traps, was much more effective and only had to change the bag about once every couple weeks.

Added to that we had a vole/mouse population in the yard which took out the grubs. By our 5th year there weren't many at all.

 

[Kestas]

We had a bout with Japanese grubs decimating the lawns in our neighborhood some 20 years ago. I did nothing but reseed the lawn. Once they do their damage they fly off in the summer to who-knows-where. Our neighborhood never had a problem since. There are always some grubs in my lawn, but not the dense population when we had the epidemic.

Using preventive measures puts pesticide in the lawn and hurts beneficial bugs and makes the birds that eat grubs sick.

I understand the best course of action is to do nothing, unless you know the damage is imminent. It's easier to take care of the damage after the fact than to prevent it every year. There's a lot of information on line about this problem and how to manage it (or why to do nothing about it).

Milky spore doesn't survive the winter in the Northern climates.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
We had a bout with Japanese grubs decimating the lawns in our neighborhood some 20 years ago. I did nothing but reseed the lawn. Once they do their damage they fly off in the summer to who-knows-where. Our neighborhood never had a problem since. There are always some grubs in my lawn, but not the dense population when we had the epidemic.

Using preventive measures puts pesticide in the lawn and hurts beneficial bugs and makes the birds that eat grubs sick.

I understand the best course of action is to do nothing, unless you know the damage is imminent. It's easier to take care of the damage after the fact than to prevent it every year. There's a lot of information on line about this problem and how to manage it (or why to do nothing about it).

Milky spore doesn't survive the winter in the Northern climates.


I strongly disagree with this, I have used it twice successfully in a location that will touch -20F in a bad winter. I do recommend using it every 10 years, as related in my post above.

From a U of I Extension website Q&A...
"Will freezing ruin the Spore? What about heavy rain?

No, Milky Spore is not affected by freezing or other adverse environmental conditions."
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/blmp/news/news27553.html

I do agree with the sentiment to avoid pesticides to treat this, milky spore is just a bacteria that will harm the grubs and nothing else.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

I don't think anyone has recomended this.

Beneficial nematodes. When I lived in Texas I used these to controll fire ants and grubs. No more brown spots.

These boys http://www.gardensalive.com/product/grub...CFQUMaQodDxcPoQ

 

[Bandito440]

This will take a combination of the remedies listed above.

1. Traps, many

2. Treatment for grubs. Grub-X can be purchased at your local home improvement store. Some folks have had succes with the milky spore or nematoad route. I did not.

I have a population of toads and tree frogs on my property that get good and fat from beetle consumption. Feel free to relocate any to the area if you come across them.

 

[larryinnewyork]

I've used the Baited Traps with great success.
Make sure your Traps are up wind of your property line.
YES, all the beetles in your neighbors yard will be attracted.
-----------------------------------------------
I did not like the plastic bag part of the traps.
They needed replacing and would fill with dead beetles and rain.
VERY SMELLY
------------------------------------------------
My solution:
1) Cut the bottom half of the bag OFF and throw away
2) Attach a clear (empty) water bottle with a cable tie to top half of bag
3) When full with dead beetles, remove bottle and install cap
4) Install new water bottle

Sometimes I will need to replace a water bottle every day.
With my method, I can view all Traps and see which need changing.

I have never needed to use any sprays, but would if really needed.

 

[andyd]

Heh heh Turkeys live in the woods in back of me. Skunks too. They come for the grubs. I dont use pesticides, because of the well. My Dad was an organic gardener for over a half century. They fenced in their asparagus. When they went by, he opned a gate and let the chickens work over the bed.Super eggs. Get your self a flock of chickens.

 

[Kestas]

I would often find a flock of starlings having a party on my lawn. I make a point not to spook them since they feed on grubs. You can tell they visited when you see a lot of small circular holes in the grass.

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted By: Kestas

Milky spore doesn't survive the winter in the Northern climates.


I strongly disagree with this, I have used it twice successfully in a location that will touch -20F in a bad winter. I do recommend using it every 10 years, as related in my post above.

From a U of I Extension website Q&A...
"Will freezing ruin the Spore? What about heavy rain?

No, Milky Spore is not affected by freezing or other adverse environmental conditions."
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/blmp/news/news27553.html

Glad to hear that. My information is over 20 years old. They must've strained a winter resistant variety since then.

 

[andyd]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted By: Kestas

Milky spore doesn't survive the winter in the Northern climates.


I strongly disagree with this, I have used it twice successfully in a location that will touch -20F in a bad winter. I do recommend using it every 10 years, as related in my post above.

From a U of I Extension website Q&A...
"Will freezing ruin the Spore? What about heavy rain?

No, Milky Spore is not affected by freezing or other adverse environmental conditions."
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/blmp/news/news27553.html

Glad to hear that. My information is over 20 years old. They must've strained a winter resistant variety since then.
Heh heh. global warming is helping there too. In 20 something days we had an 86 degree temperature variation Yesterday was a perfect '78 degree day. I hope Memorial Day weekend is this good.

 

[spasm3]

Treat your yard with milky spore in the fall. Buy your neighbor traps or throw the bait in your neighbors yard in the spring!

 

[KevinP64]

Racer, I forgot to mention a product by Bayer- Tree and Shrub Protect and Feed. It provides protection systemically. I use it for beetle control on a tall Crepe Myrtle and for something else on some Azeleas. It has been very effective. It is a systemic product used once a year by diluting in water and pouring--no spraying. I apply in Spring per directions which are involved to some degree on multi trunk trees but not on shrubs. It can be kind of pricey if large volumes are necessary and i consider the feeding thing next to nothing. But a 20ft Crepe Myrtle is tough to spray for this homeowner. If safe for roses (I see no reason why it wouldn't but I would check) you really might like this stuff. I buy a bottle at Lowes every year. Realized I need to get some this morning and thought of your problem.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: KevinP64
Racer, I forgot to mention a product by Bayer- Tree and Shrub Protect and Feed. It provides protection systemically. I use it for beetle control on a tall Crepe Myrtle and for something else on some Azeleas. It has been very effective. It is a systemic product used once a year by diluting in water and pouring--no spraying. I apply in Spring per directions which are involved to some degree on multi trunk trees but not on shrubs. It can be kind of pricey if large volumes are necessary and i consider the feeding thing next to nothing. But a 20ft Crepe Myrtle is tough to spray for this homeowner. If safe for roses (I see no reason why it wouldn't but I would check) you really might like this stuff. I buy a bottle at Lowes every year. Realized I need to get some this morning and thought of your problem.

With convenience, comes more need to be aware of good environmental stewardship. I am not an advocate of strict organic methodology and practice IPM methods myself.

The active ingredient of Bayer Tree and Shrub is Imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide. Google it, form your own opinion, and use it responsibly. It is one of the first insecticides we researched and applied towards managing emerald ash borer in the midwest.