Japanese Beetles

So I am outside last night making certain the vegetable garden is getting enough water while harvesting Italian Sweet Peppers for dinner...normal night for me really.

As I'm inspecting the tomato progress I notice that the one rose I have decided to plant on my entire property (a climber...Rosa 'Brite Eyes') has a number of buds that look promising after my last deadheading.  One however seemed to be moving.  Oh, great.

I am not a bug lover.  I greatly appreciate their value to the overall ecosystem, but that being said...I do not nor will I ever see any redeeming value in a Japanese beetle.

They are difficult to control, do a lot of damage to roses and other standard varietals.  Actually that is why I only have one rose.  Only one, because I didn't want to invite them or their larval form, the grub, into my lovely little landscape.

That being said, here are some recommendations for getting rid of them, should you see them.  In the meantime, I might just dig up that rose...

Hand Picking

If Japanese beetle infestations are light, the safest and most inexpensive route to killing the beetles is to pick them off the plants by hand and drop them into a bucket of soapy water (or my family in Indiana used gasoine).

Pesticides
A number of pesticides are available against Japanese beetles. Some ingredients to look for on pesticide packaging include carbaryl, acephate, and permethrin.

Organic, neem-based pesticides can also provide good control, as can insecticidal soaps.

Note: Insecticidal soaps will kill the beetles, but don't provide any ongoing protection to your plants.

 

Get Rid of Grubs

While it's the adult Japanese beetles that cause the most damage, their larval form -- grubs -- can also cause lawn problems. If your lawn has a grub infestation, treating for the grubs will kill most of them before they can emerge as adult beetles.

A number of grub-killing products are quite effective. There are also organic options including beneficial nematodes.

Kill Them Quickly

The beetles release chemicals called pheromones into the air. These pheromones attract other beetles. So if you see a few of the bugs, they'll probably attract more. Get rid of Japanese beetles early, before they can invite more of their friends to feed on your plants.

Avoid Traps

University research indicates that using Japanese beetle traps can actually make problems worse. The traps are intended to trap and kill the beetles in your yard. However, they use pheromones to attract the beetles to the traps. And these pheromones bring more beetles into your yard than the traps can catch.

Timing

Japanese beetles tend to be most active when temperatures are over 85 degrees Fahrenheit and the air is relatively still. Be especially watchful for new beetles coming into your yard during these conditions.