Question about Japanese Beetles

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Last summer Japanese Beetles did a lot a damage to leaves on 4 fruit trees and 2 young pin oaks in my yard. By the time I noticed them and sprayed insecticide, they had severely damaged lots of leaves. In fact, by August all the leaves on one of the pin oaks were gone. All the trees came back this spring and looked healthy.

Well recently the little buggers came back with a vengeance. I noticed the situation a little quicker this year and sprayed before they had reeked as much havoc as last year. Have I likely killed them before they have had a chance to lay eggs in the bark/soil or wherever they deposit them? I'm hoping that next year I don't have to fight this battle, but that's probably wishful thinking.

 

[WVH1977]

I have been using the Bonide Japanese Beetle traps. I just emptied a bag of about 10,000 and put a new bag with pheromone and already have a couple of hundred in there. Never Ending Battle !!!!!!

 

[WVH1977]

Here is a picture of them.



Here is the new bag I just put up 30 minutes ago:

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I have been using the Bonide Japanese Beetle traps. I just emptied a bag of about 10,000 and put a new bag with pheromone and already have a couple of hundred in there. Never Ending Battle !!!!!!

Obviously the traps work. My only question is am I drawing them onto my property?

 

[PJSprog]

Obviously the traps work. My only question is am I drawing them onto my property?

We've wondered that in the past, too. They're obviously there for the trees anyway, but you have to wonder if the traps just make it worse. Starting to see a lot of those boogers around our area this last weekend, too.

 

[LD1]

If you have that many beetles, you likely have a grub problem in your yard. Do you notice alot of mole activity? Or areas of yard dying off?

Bot much you can do to prevent beetles from flying on to your property from neighbors, but kill the grubs in your yard and you will kill the beetles that hatch on you property

 

[WVH1977]

I don't think so. They come every year around here. From what I understand they start as grubs in the yard then come out in June as beetles. So I guess the thing to do would try and kill the grubs in the ground before they lay eggs. I have never looked into getting rid of them as grubs. All I know is they have been around every year for as long as I can remember. Maybe someone will chime in on how to get them while they are grubs.

 

[WVH1977]

We also use Neem Oil around are plants. The Neem Oil works well and supposedly once the beetle gets in the oil it will kill the larvae before they get a chance to lay the eggs.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I did a little U Tube research and I think the best strategy is to get them when they are grubs. It appears that the best time to put out grub insecticide is late Aug to early Sept. Ill do that and hope for the best next June.

 

[TnAndy]

I don't think so. They come every year around here. From what I understand they start as grubs in the yard then come out in June as beetles. So I guess the thing to do would try and kill the grubs in the ground before they lay eggs. I have never looked into getting rid of them as grubs. All I know is they have been around every year for as long as I can remember. Maybe someone will chime in on how to get them while they are grubs.

Get some 'milky spore' powder .....it's a bacteria (Bacillus popillae) that attacks the grubs in the ground. You put it out once, as the grubs die, they spread the spore in the ground, so it pretty much self perpetuates the bacteria. Stuff isn't cheap, and it takes a couple years to begin to control effectively, so you'll have to continue conventional insecticide spraying, but it is the only long term, effective control method.

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