Kathy, is this your culprit? The oriental beetle? (scroll down if the picture doesn't appear at the top)

I call it the DREADED oriental beetle. It decimates my daisies and coneflowers every single stinking year, and my daylilies too, to a lesser extent. I am still trying to figure out what to do for them, and I'm considering beneficial nematodes, which I recall reading may be helpful.

The link below says to treat them as you would other white grubs, but I've read differently in other places, so who knows? I've tried milky spore, knowing that it really is more for Japanese beetles and not these guys, but I gave it a shot anyway. I haven't seen much difference this year, but it's only the first year, so...

It's really gross when I come in the house every day and the kids have to pick them out of my hair. These guys are right up there on my list, one notch below voles.

I hope someone else can help us out here!
:)
Dee

Here is a link that might be useful: oriental beetle

> Grubs feed on all cool-season grasses, strawberry beds, nursery stock and potted plants. The adults feed on various ornamental plants but are no serious pests.

I haven't seen much damage from these guys. I also have Asiatic Garden Beetle ... they're mainly an annoyance too as far as I know.

This link is mainly for ID of the grubs, but there are drawings of the adults at the bottom of the page. My AGBs are like a light-copper colored version of JBs.

A non-toxic way to trap them is to leave a light on above a pool of water, like a birdbath. They are attracted to the light and for some odd reason drop into the water and drown. I have NO idea why they fall into the water, maybe they fall asleep ... and I don't know what percent of them can be caught this way.

Unlike JBs, these guys lack the communication skills that cause JBs to all gang up on a plant and really do some serious damage. Theirs is more of a 'nibble at the buffet' style of eating, luckily for us.

Here is a link that might be useful: beetle and grub ID

I've seen the Asiatics in my gardens also, but they don't seem to do much damage. It's the darn Orientals that get me. I'm always flicking them off the blooms.

The other day as I was passing a clump of coneflowers, the center of one of them caught my eye. It just looked funny from a distance. As I got closer, I realized there were FOUR of these buggers all nestled into the center of one bloom, all snuggled up close together. Grrr.

I'm really glad you posted this thread, Kathy. I had posted about a year or so ago looking for help with the Orientals, but couldn't get much solid info. Actually, nobody else seemed to be bothered by them, which kind of surprised me.

Just the other day I was debating whether to post again, hoping maybe something miraculous had come about in the last year or two, lol - a new method or defense against them. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Even if the Oriental beetle is not exactly what you have, maybe I can get some generic beetle help, lol.

Good luck to all of us!
:)
Dee

Kathy - It sounds like you have cucumber beetles (black & yellow). They are nasty little buggers and decimated my cucumbers to the ground 2 years in a row before I found out what was going on. Do you have an Agway around you? They have insecticidal soaps etc. that are all natural. Good luck.

Maureen

Dee,

I have always had the oriental beetle, and it's awful. During the key weeks, I do an evening walk with a glass of soapy water and knock them in. It does kill them, but I have more each night--I have no idea if I capture 1% of them or 50% this way. It might be a waste of time. I'll stay tuned to see what others suggest!

Well, I bought the insecticidal soap at Agway and sprayed last night. I don't see any beetles today...so maybe that is hope. I will keep you all posted. Does anyone know how often I should spray with this soap? Also...do these beetles attack zinnias or is that another problem I am having? Lots of the leaves on my zinnias look yellowish, bruised, a few have holes and they seem to be withering away.
Thanks
Kathy

Kathy - You will need to re-apply if it rains or if the beetles reappear. When I first spotted them I sprayed every few days as a preventative measure and haven't seen any beetles recently.

Don't know about the zinnias. Try Googling, or better yet use Goodsearch (they make a donation to registered charities for every search that you do - I chose my town's food pantry), "Zinnia pests" or something like that.

I use Bag a Bug bags/lures and it is amazing how they're drawn to it! I put them AWAY from the gardens as much as I can (I normally see them swarming around in sunny areas by evergreens)and boy do they go for it ASAP. They're following me around as I try and figure out which limb to hang it on and already going into the bag before I get it hung...lol! Hundreds within a few days already. I have one bag on the front yard, another in the back. The lure is a combo of a floral lure AND a sexual attractant. After a few days or a week you see a lot less damage.

Hi tulips! Good to see you again! It's been awhile! Well, the way I figure it, every dead oriental beetle is one less that will decimate my flowers, lol!

For some reason, I didn't think insecticidal soap worked on beetles. Hmm, it's probably too late for this year, but I will have to try it next year. I'm at the point where I'm thinking of draping row cover material over all my daisies and coneflowers... which wouldn't look so great, but I could at least cut them and enjoy them inside. So I'll give the insecticidal soap a try first.

:)
Dee

Thanks everyone for the great ideas - very helpful. I might try that Bag o Bugs lure - and I will use the site you suggested to figure out what is going on with my zinnias
Dee: I agree with you about the less beetles the better!
I hope this insecticidal soap works. I am going away for a week and going to douse them really well with the stuff- hope I come home to healthy plants!
Kathy