I've never used milky spore but have talked to a lot of people about it. The main drawback I've heard is the fact that JBs come from such a long distance that using it in your "yard" won't solve the problem unless you've got a HUGE yard. When a whole neighborhood (or at least most of it) can be treated, then the results may be better.

The traps may be a better control if used properly and are best placed some distance from the plants you're trying to protect. JBs seem to like to stop and eat before flying to the trap.

There's a good article by Mike Goatley of Virginia Tech on JBs as related to grub infestations in lawns that may be helpful to you. I've posted a link below.

Good luck. These critters are very destructive when their numbers are high.

Sandy

Here is a link that might be useful: Invasion of the Beetles

H Sandy, Thank you for the link. I have 3/4 acre and I had planned on treating a portion of my neighbor's property. They both have much larger properties than mine. There's a large field across the road from me where hay is grown. I do have a fairly large population of JB's most years and I grow a number of fruit trees which they commonly enjoy.

I called everyone locally I could think of...ag agent, garden centers, Southern States...I got different answers from everyone. Someone says, "depends on your soil." And, it'll only killed 18%...amybe. Or "they'll still fly in from 2 miles away." The guy from the local Southern States told me he used it and it worked great for him. When I asked when he applied it, he said, "3 months ago." IIIEEE!

So...IF I bought a few traps and set them 200' into the empty field across the road...and I monitored them carefully, emptying etc... Would it reduce my population of JB's in years to come?

My small orchard is in one corner of my rectangular lot, approx. 125' x 225' and borders the road. I thought of treating the area within a 150'-200' radius of my orchard and...I'd also treat my entire lot. I realize it won't elimate the JB's entirely but if it made a good dent, I'd be happy.

Thank you, Peggy

Your plan sounds like just the kind of overkill needed to reduce the number of JBs. Since neither of these products is toxic to the environment, I think this is a good plan.

If you are not opposed to use of chemical pesticides, carbaryl (Sevin) is the one of least danger to you. The worst thing about it is the fact it is highly toxic to bees and great care must be taken to spray when they're not active.

I'm not surprised at the response from the salesman at SS. They are in business to sell products. Although they are probably a good source of chemicals and information, they are still a business. Example: Lawns here of cool season grasses should not be fertilized in the spring but SS will recommend and sell it for spring use. I take anything a salesman tells me with a healthy dose of skepticism and then do lots of research at VA Tech and other universities. They are not always right either, but at least they don't usually have a monetary motive for recommending a product!

I'll try to get in touch with our agent tomorrow or later this week and see if he can shed some more light on your situation. He's really good about giving the most down-to-earth advice for things like this.

Peggy,

I just read something in the Gardens Alive catalog about JBs that confirmed an observation I made this year: if JBs are repelled from a food source early in the season they won't come back. Two very safe repellents are Surround (basically white clay that you spray on to leave a white residue) and neem. I sprayed my crape myrtle with neem as soon as I saw JBs, and although they decimated it last year, and I've heard lots of complaints from other people about this season, I've seen almost no JBs this year on the crape myrtle.

From what I know of MS, it takes spring and fall applications for a couple of years in a row to really take hold - what you're aiming for is to get the bacteria established in your soil with just enough grubs around to offer a steady food supply for the MS from season to season.

Another nontoxic (and expensive) possibility is beneficial nematodes.

Sandy, do let me know what the ag agent says and thank you for that.

Hi Anne,

Im also considering beneficial nematodes. I've used Surround on some of my orchard trees and it does work tho it's a pain in the but...clogs the sprayer and it's difficult to reach every apple on the tree. A gardener from the veggie forum used it on squash to deter the squash vine borer and reported success with it. I used Neem last year and that seemed to help at 1st. I probably didn't spray as often as I should have. I sprayed Neem on my green beans to kill bean beetles this year and the following day the temp reached 84. It looked as if someone had poured oil on my beans. Darned weather person had predicted a high of 77...wrong again!

In my neighborhood, the JB's have not been so bad this year. I actually have roses that haven't been eaten!!! I generally have to cut those before they open.

Decisions, decisions....

The agent said you need to have a heavy infestation of the JB grubs for the milky spore to be effective. It must pass from grub to grub to survive for very long in the soil.

Carbaryl (Sevin) is probably still the best choice but must be applied to apples no sooner than a month after bloom or it will act as a thinning agent. The other chemicals to consider are permethrin, imidan 70W, and Confirm.

If you use any of the chemicals, be sure to read and follow the label directions carefully. If you harm yourself or kill all the bees, you haven't gained anything and much will be lost.

There are also some beneficial wasps that can be used but I don't know their track record or their availability. Here's some info on them from University of Wisconsin.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tiphiid wasps

As an addendum to the above about the spring tiphia wasp - plants that attract this beneficial insect are forsythia, peonies, firethorn and tulip poplars.

Crap, I just had my monster forsythia removed! But I have lots of peonies.

Sandy, that's a fascinating link on the tiphiid wasps. I'd like to research that a little more before using a chemical.

I so appreciate your inquiry to the ag agent. It makes sense that a heavier infestation of JB makes the MS more affective. Two years ago, I was finding 10-16 JB's psf. This spring I didn't see those kind of numbers.

Thank you~

Peggy,
Sorry didn't see your post before. I think Milky Spre works in terms that you have no your own grubs. When I moved into my current house 10 years ago every time I did any digging I saw a lot of grubs, really a lot. After I treated my yard with MS I see NONE. Zero grubs in my yard. I also treated next door yards, the owners let me do it.
However my yard is small and JBs just fly from other places. I can't say I see any dicrease in JB numbers after treatment.
Part of the reason could be that I grow a lot of roses and JBs from the whole area are coming driven by rose fragrance.
Olga

I used MS 6 years ago and have not noticed any change in JB. I have also tried to kill grubs with other chemicals and had no success. I think MS is probably a waste of time.

I have used MS with good results. The 1st time it lasted about 10 years. I reapplied it again about two years ago and then moved so I don't know what has happen this time. The 1st time I applied it to 3 acres. With a spreader it was the granulated type. I am thinking of using it on my new property this spring. You will not noticevery good results the 1st year because the spore has to kill grubs and then reproduce. MS worked on June bugs as well as J. beetles.I live on the Eastern and the soil is sandy.
I hope this helps you.