Scoring a victory over Japanese beetles
Podcast Episode
Kyle Geissler talks with Janesville Gazette reporter Cathy Idzerda about effective ways to battle the Japanese beetle.
Photo
Japanese beetles seem to be back with vengeance this summer. But trying to kill all the beetles in your yard could be a costly—and fruitless—endeavor.
JANESVILLE — Stop right there.
Do not buy that Japanese beetle trap.
Do not run through your yard willy-nilly, spraying everything in sight with pesticide.
Do not buy bags of mystery granules, bottles of special beetle killer or any other new fangled gizmo that promises to keep your yard free of those #*?! beetles moving through your yard like it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Before you do anything, it’s crucial you understand the difference between a psychological victory and a genuine victory.
And here to tell us the difference—and give us the key to beetle control—is garden realist Mike Maddox.
Maddox, who is horticulture educator for Rotary Gardens and Rock County Extension, explained that some products and techniques give gardeners and homeowners a psychological victory—a satisfying sense they’re winning the war. But often, those techniques can make matters worse, cost a lot of money and needlessly poison the environment.
What’s needed is a genuine victory.
But first, the basics:
Japanese beetles are slightly less than a half inch long and are a shiny metallic green, said UW Extension turf and ornamental specialist Chris Williamson.
They have coppery-brown wing covers that do not entirely cover their abdomens. Newly hatched larvae are a translucent creamy white and, once feeding begins, their hindguts turn gray to black.
The grubs feed on the roots of grass and ornamentals.
Now for the specifics of what works and what doesn’t:
-- Japanese beetle traps. The traps have become increasingly popular because they give people a psychological victory. Jane Homeowner finds her trap full of dead beetles and thinks she’s making a difference.
But here’s the problem:
“They’re only catching a percentage of what they’re attracting,” Maddox said.
University studies have shown again and again that the traps bring in more beetles than they actually kill. Those extra beetles are mating and laying eggs in your lawn so that next year you’ll have a new crop of beetles and, possibly, new damage to your grass.
Now, if you have a “couple of acres” and want to put the traps on the back of the property, they’ll probably lure the beetles away from the ornamentals near your home, Maddox said.
-- Pesticides. A variety of pesticides are labeled for use against the adult beetles.
“Controlling Japanese beetles requires a defensive approach,” Maddox said.
That means protecting specific plants or trees—instead of trying to kill every beetle in the solar system.
Why?
“The beetles will just fly in from elsewhere,” Maddox said.
That is especially true in city neighborhoods.
Only spray where the beetles are present and follow product instructions to the letter.
“Some people have noticed that the beetles tend not to return to something that’s been sprayed; it becomes unpalatable,” Maddox said.
However, no specific research has proven that phenomenon—only anecdotal evidence is available.
If you don’t have a significant number of beetles, consider handpicking the beetles and dropping them into a jar of soapy water. Beetles are attracted to beetles, so such a method only works when the populations are low.
-- Systemic pesticide treatment for trees or treatment for lawn grubs.
The systemic treatment for trees is usually applied in the fall and is absorbed by the tree’s roots and helps it withstand beetle attack next year.
It’s a good defensive approach for next year, especially on valuable ornamentals, Maddox said.
Japanese beetles lay their eggs in the lawn, and grubs feed on the roots of the grass. If present in large enough numbers, the grubs can leave large brown patches on the lawn.
“Use the grub control if the grubs are killing your grass,” Maddox said.
Again, the temptation is to try to wipe out all the grubs in your lawn, even if they aren’t causing problems.
“You can kill all the grubs, but the adult beetles will just fly in from elsewhere,” Maddox repeated, this time sounding a little exasperated.
-- Other methods. Biological controls such as milky spore disease and nematodes are marketed as “natural” ways to control the grubs. Although many gardeners swear by such methods, university research has shown inconsistent results.
Jul 29, 2008 at 9:43 p.m.
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There isn't a magic cure, but there are lists of plants on the Internet that are resistant or completely unaffected by the beetles. Knowing what plants will not be affected is as important as knowing which ones will be.
All my Boston Ivy is dying despite constant spraying and constant picking off of the bugs. I'm ready to grub it out in the fall and plant something that is resistant. For now, though, it's a daily ritual. Go outside, spray, pick. I'm using a solution of tea tree oil and water. They HATE the stuff and begin to move so you can see where they are and it's easier to nab then, but every day there are more.
As for blaming the farmers for this - this has nothing to do with the farmers. The Japanese Beetle is an invasive species that came here from another country all the way back in 1916. In their native land there are natural predators that keep them in check. Those predators don't exist here. Sooo, we need to use other methods to foil them. Go out on the Internet and search for the history behind the Japanese Beetle. You might be surprised at what you learn.
Visit the USDA - APHIS website and read the article below:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/p...
Meanwhile, keep fighting the good fight.
Mary T.
Jul 29, 2008 at 1:05 p.m.
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What are we supposed to do when we have huge trees that these things have destroyed all the leaves and now we are left with trees that look near death? They are everywhere and the bite or pinch horribly.
HELP
Jul 29, 2008 at 1 p.m.
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BOOOHOOOHOOOOOHOOOOO....I keep going out and checking on my roses and other flowers (that are dusted by the way) and I KEEP finding these darn beetles and keep dropping them into my little lethal bottle of poison (dishsoap and water). BUT not before their little fangs do more damage.....WAHHHHH!!! You know I am seriously thinking all of these destructive bugs and plants are a result of the farming industry always "improving" their crop yeilds etc. Why can't we go back to the NATURAL WAY OF THINGS?
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:14 a.m.
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ssbunklin- the directions on the box say about 500 sq ft coverage.also the directing on the box say KEEP AWAY from foilage.- maybe that employee should read the box@!!also it says to try to hand in a westerly wind area AWAY FROM FOILAGE.
Phyliss said be carefull using the soap/water things on your plants that possibly can be distructive to them as well.
optisum- just use the bayer treatment for trees in the spring- one treatment a year is all you need.
Jul 24, 2008 at 12:14 a.m.
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Now I'm bummed. I went to that really nice garden store we have here which I won't name. The employee assured me that I could use the j.b. traps and that it was okay to hang them near my plants. My whole yard is plants. She said that the lure with the trap is so much more intense than any flowers that they would go to the trap first. And yes my two traps were half full in a day. GROSS. Does anyone know what size area they attract from??? Maybe I could move them to a back corner of the lot or maybe just get rid of them.
Jul 22, 2008 at 6:22 p.m.
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I googled it last week and this is what I used to kill the adult beetles....a 1/4 cup of Dawn dish soap and a gallon of water. Put it in a pump sprayer and spray the beetles and the bushes, it kills them on the spot. The spray on the bushes also keep them away now.
Jul 22, 2008 at 5:21 p.m.
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I saw TONS of them last year on my neighbor's raspberries,but hardly any in my yard. I do see more in my butterfly garden this year. I only see them on my roses and hollyhocks. I just handpick them and plop them into some jar filled with soapy water and that does them in! Hardly a dent in the JP population,but it does make me feel better. You guys might want to check out the gardenweb forum as for many different ways other people control them.
Jul 22, 2008 at 6:07 a.m.
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My poor new Birch Tree we planted last fall really got chomped on!! My husband did spray for these awful things, but not before we knew what they could do!! I was happy to have learned that they begin as grubs, so now at least we can treat that part of the life cycle. It seems year after year there are more destructive bugs and plants that are taking over the environment. Somethings wrong here......
Jul 21, 2008 at 8:51 p.m.
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Raspberries have been the biggest problem for me. I finally figured that I could just cover them with a mesh cloth - that keeps them off! I also can spray the cloth (when it is not on the raspberries) and they tend to die there. 2 quarts of nice berries today - only a few thrown out due to beetle damage.
Jul 21, 2008 at 12:46 p.m.
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You're right-I didn't include any information about planting resistant varieties. The problem is that Japanese beetles eat soooo many things. As a gardener, I'm unwilling to base my plant choices on what beetles won't eat--I suspect many gardeners feel the same way.
That said, a few resistant trees include red and silver maples, some flowering dogwoods, magnolia, white and black oaks, lilacs, firs and pines.
I think Mike's main point is that Japanese beetles are best handled defensively. Hand pick them if they're present in small numbers, use pesticides selectively, use systemic pesticides for trees you want to save and use grub control if your lawn is being damaged.
The extension publication http://wihort.uwex.edu/gardenfacts/X1062... covers all of the basics and reinforces Mike’s suggestions.
Cathy Idzerda, reporter
Jul 21, 2008 at 10:59 a.m.
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NO PESTISIDE for a plum tree if you want to eat them! use D. E. or the bayer tree stuff if your not going to eat the fruit. if birds eat the fruit though I would check with k&w to see if bayer tree and shrub treatment would kill the birds that eat the fruit.
Jul 21, 2008 at 10:58 a.m.
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my guess the D.E. i mentioned would would on a fruit tree as well.
Jul 21, 2008 at 10:57 a.m.
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this is what I do and I have seen a tremoudous change in the amount of beetles in my yard. Yes I agree by the article title there should have been more info. He seems to be saying dont do anything/oh well. He is my defence system.
1) season long grub control in the fall and the spring. memerial day/right and before labor day before they go back into the lawn. they come out before 4th of july so late may would be good.
2) bayer three in one(does bugs,fertilizes,and diesese) concentrate roses and flower- for you roses and Hibiscuis and any other flowering things theyre invading. It recommends every 5-6 weeks I do 4 weeks to be sure. Also get off those dead rose buds cut down to second set of 5 leaves will also bloom faster next round.They seem to like to feed on the old roses and the bayer product only protect the foilage not the BUD. They seem to prefer the lighter colored roses too.
3)bayer also has a product for trees that you apply one a year to protest them.
4)bayer contact spray that hooks up to a hose for those that FLY in.
4) I also use a bag a bug that theyre talking about. I am afraid he is correct though. The directions say hand away from foilage in a westerly wind. My yard is full of foilage so If I could only hang in someone elses yard it would be better.
But still before I hung this there was hardly any beetles.
I see no reason why bayer product wouldnt be good especially for your roses. They never have disease like black sport and always look real good.sorry if theynt not but I dont want all those in my yard!!!!
Also if you want to protect your raspberries you CANNOT use bayer BUT you can use a product called diatanasious(SP) earth. It is an organic mineral that beetle dont like and you just have to rince off before eating them. It is made of the same stuff you give your parskeete to grind down his beak. that cuttle fish white piece of stuff. You may have to apply again after it rains.
As far as the comment on spending the money/ well Inwould rather spend the money for my garden to suceed that to spend the money on these plants to feed to the beetles.
they seem to like to atttack Cannas too and I bet a dose of the bayer on them every four weeks would work as well.
Hope this helps all of you.
Jul 21, 2008 at 10:51 a.m.
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Too bad we can't score a victory against Japanese automobile manufacturers....
Jul 21, 2008 at 10:50 a.m.
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There are a few approaches in the UWEX article "Japanese beetles: an invasive pest":
http://www.uwex.edu/news/2001/7/japanese...
.
The two points that Idzerda didn't really address are plant selection, including the use of resistant varieties, or the use of standard insect-control applications labeled for grubs such as combination fertilizers. This seems to be what is meant by "systemic prevention".
Jul 21, 2008 at 10:40 a.m.
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My family has a plum tree that has been decimated by these invasive beetles for the second year in a row. My mother wishes to cut it down so that she doesn't have to bear swarms of beetles in her yard. I may suggest to her that she apply the systemic pesticide to the tree this autumn. I would guess the plums would be inedible as a result?
Beetles attacked my aster this year, but handpicking them 3-4 times a day has actually been quite fulfilling. As time goes on, I find less and less. I have found less in my garden this year than last. I must be a lucky one!
Jul 21, 2008 at 10:09 a.m.
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So what exactly is recommended by Mr Maddox?
If they go somewhere else that is perfectly fine with me. Between destroying my lawn, trees, flowers/garden and leaving marks on our clean laundry hanging on the line I would be happy to see them gone.
If he wants them I would gladly give them a map to his house.
Jul 21, 2008 at 9:10 a.m.
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I’m not entirely sure I learned anything from this article. I was hoping for a magic cure all or some new as seen on the Gazette product called, “Super Duper Japanese Beetle Killer 5000,” with a picture Billy Mays holding up a bottle; but WAIT if you order now we’ll send you a second bottle for only $19.95 (just pay additional shipping and processing).
Jul 21, 2008 at 9:08 a.m.
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My parents had such horrible beetles that they had to cut the bushes that these beetles were invading. It got to the point where there were thousands in their yard. They tried the spray, the traps, etc. Nothing worked. It was like a plague in their yard. They even starting attacking their maple tree. Once they cut the shrubs and bushes out the beetles were gone. They also planted fake flowers with some real greens.
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