Japanese Beetles

[FarmerShawn]

Originally Posted by simmran1

One thing I invested in yesterday- is Surround WP. (Wettable Powder) uses the vehicle of water and kaolin clay in a pressure sprayer, to coat the plants. I got from Gardens Alive, (with the 25% off).
Details

Surround at Home Crop Protectant forms a barrier film, which acts as a broad spectrum crop protectant for home, landscape and garden use for controlling damage from various insects, mites and disease pests, as a growth enhancer and as a protectant against sunburn and heat stress. Apply every 3 to 14 days depending on weather conditions (see label for accurate rates).

Controlsaphids, Japanese beetles, leafhoppers, crickets and thrips, grasshoppers, whiteflies, cutworms, weevils, loopers, rust mites, oblique-banded leaf-rollers, codling moths, apple maggots, green fruitworms, Mexican bean beetles, Colorado potato beetles, flea beetles and cucumber beetles.

I use this stuff, and it does have some effect on the Japanese beetles, but you have to reapply several times, especially after each rain, at least until you have built up a good barrier layer. Later in the summer I don't have to be quite so vigilant, as the film once it is built up stays around better. It doesn't eliminate the beetles, but it does limit them to tolerable levels. And is fairly effective on cucumber beetles. I like it because it is completely safe, being nothing more than finely ground clay. It also leaves everything sprayed looking quite ghostly white, which I thought would affect photosynthesis, but it doesn't seem to. I spray my apple trees, grape vines, cucurbits, beans - pretty much anything that is bothered by a voracious beetle of any kind. It kills nothing, but makes life uncomfortable for them, so they move on.