Japanese Beetles

bughunter99 · February 19, 2014

Honestly for me the greatest success has come from drowning the adults. Here it seems like the all come out at once and if you pick and destroy the first big flush, there are that many fewer the next year. The first year I did this I had sooooooo many. It was gross. Each year since, less and less. I garden organically so there are no sprays used here. We do have multiple bird feeders in the yard but no more than when we did when I had the initial beetle invasion.

The one nice thing about JB's is that at least here, I don't have to check every plant. They seem to favor one or two plant types and leave everything else alone. Usually it is the cherry tree and the climbing hydragnea but one year I could only find them on the stupid foundation bush( I was tempted to let them have that one).

I agree with the other poster that said avoid the TRAPS. Those things are notorious for bringing more beetles into your yard than would otherwise be there.

February 19, 2014	#11
bughunter99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: zone 5 Posts: 821	Honestly for me the greatest success has come from drowning the adults. Here it seems like the all come out at once and if you pick and destroy the first big flush, there are that many fewer the next year. The first year I did this I had sooooooo many. It was gross. Each year since, less and less. I garden organically so there are no sprays used here. We do have multiple bird feeders in the yard but no more than when we did when I had the initial beetle invasion. The one nice thing about JB's is that at least here, I don't have to check every plant. They seem to favor one or two plant types and leave everything else alone. Usually it is the cherry tree and the climbing hydragnea but one year I could only find them on the stupid foundation bush( I was tempted to let them have that one). I agree with the other poster that said avoid the TRAPS. Those things are notorious for bringing more beetles into your yard than would otherwise be there.