You are definitely making me less enthusiastic about moving to PA! Yikes! Makes all my pest stories pale in comparison.

Janet's Garden

I was thinking the same thing today. They are everywhere! I've never seen anything like it!

I think it is hopeless for me. I have woods behind me and farmland all around. I put enough grub killer on my lawn to finish off Godzilla but the devil beetles keep coming.

For the last few days, I was getting bumped into constantly by these flying tanks. Tonight, I caught some buds in between my gloves and rubbed. That finished off about 10 at a time.

I noticed yesterday that they also are swallowing my weeping peach tree.

Today, I noticed the devil beetles were eating needles on a dwarf blue spruce and my spiraeas. I sprayed my cherry and weeping pear tree with Sevin today. I hate that stuff but it is the only way to give them a break. They both are taking a good deal of punishment from the devil beetles.

I have out 4 beetle bags and have filled 3 thus far. Traps attracting beetles to gardnes is hogwash. On a light season, maybe. But when you look out your window and can acutally SEE your lawn moving, you know you're done for. They're here, beetle bags or not. I had to buy a fly whisk (riding crop with a horse tail) to ride with becuase the horses kick them up and they ping off of your body as you ride by. I dusted my roses with Sevin and so far they have survived. I even used grub killer on the lawn this year. No luck. Curse the neighbors who didn't! :P