Well, the beetle problem is big this year! I had one trap in front and one in back when I had a natural/native landscape designer come over to do a measure...one with a degree from temple university in horticulture so he actually knows something. ANYWAY. He told me that the pheromones in the trap actually ATTRACT the beetles to the yard. And some of them go in the bag. And others just get as far as the garden and feast. I got rid of my traps that day. So far the beetles aren't doing a terrible amount of damage. I have a lot of birds in my yard...maybe they are eating them. More likely, I have two grandsons who ADORE plucking them and sending them sailing then crunching them underfoot if they still live. It seems to be great sport for the two of them. If you'd like to feed them for a while I can send them over

Robin

PS...I don't normally do pesticides either. BUT. If your problem is significant you might need to. What about this stuff? I've been pleased witht he Bayer Advanced products...

http://www.bayeradvanced.com/pressrelease/protect-your-trees-shrubs-and-flowers.html

cateyanne, unfortunately you've been planting some of this beetle's favorite foods in your yard! Those plants serve as JB magnets for the rest of the neighborhood, in all likelihood, darn it all. (I know, because of my neighbor's plum. She curses the beetles, while I never have any.)

I've heard and read some good things about Neem oil with regards to JB, but can't share any personal experience with it (for the beetles, that is).

What did you have your lawn treated with? Milky spore or a hard insecticide? The little blighters have wings, so your turf could be as clean as a whistle and you'd still have beetle adults compliments of everybody else who lives near you.

Like rsmallen says, traps are not recommended. It may make you feel a little better to see them inside the trap but you'll attract more than you'll catch.

They're bad this year in Ohio, worse that they've been in quite a few years. That's prolly why you're noticing them. Checks and balances and all that. I will not use sevin on ornamentals, and the damage is temporary. You'll have the same problem getting it up into the trees, no? Trombone sprayer would be necessary and then you'd have the stuff broadcast everywhere.

I feel your pain.

Understand that even when you treat your lawn and kill the grubs that are there, unless all your neighbors for many miles around also treat there lawns to do the same you will still have Japanese Beetles since they fly in from far away and if there are "traps" around even more of them will be drawn into the general area and they will find your plants, especially if they are under some stress. Plants under stress are always more attractive to insect pests than plants growing in good, healthy soil that is evenly moist.
Knocking any of the beetles you can into a bucket of soapy water will help. Judiciously using poisons to aid in control is also good, things like Neem Oil or pyrethrin based dusts or sprays, because there are not enough Japanese Beetle predators around to control them.

Speaking of predators, What are the Japanese beetles natural predators? There are a million cats in our area and because of this I never see too many birds. I have been recently adding different bird feeders in an effort to attract more bird varieties. Is there a bird that likes to munch on these creepy things? what about another insect, like spiders? There had to be a good predator for these guys, no?

I live in NJ. I have problems with JB and my roses. Now I see that they are eating up my Strawberry leaves and berries. Roses, though I don't like spraying pesticides--I still do. But Strawberry is edible and I do not want to spray any pesticides on them. I am not sure what to do with them?????? Just to share my woes regarding JB. Anybody has any suggestions?

Catelyanne, they don't have many natural predators. Birds don't really like them because of their hard crunchy shell. I get a lot of birds and I still have some beetles. Other insects don't bother with them either. Their only predators in my experience are my grandsons with their powerful plucks....

Robin

I treated my yard with Grubex this year - normally I'm opposed to such things but last year JBs were such a disaster - they made lace out of my hibiscus and cannas. Having a much better season now. Getting rid of the plants they really liked helped, and I go on patrol twice a day handpicking. Pesticides don't seem to help, in my experience - those darn shells protect them.

We had a horrible infestation of JB last year. We did several "JB patrols" every day, knocking them into a dish of soapy water. I'd say that we probably killed at least 5000 (likely more) of them over the course of the season - one patrol could yield several hundred beetles. I also would patrol the part of my neighbor's yard that bordered mine -- they seemed particularly fond of their rose of sharon.

I'm not sure if that is the reason, but this year patrols are yielding much smaller numbers. I've probably only killed about 200 to 300 so far this year. Hopefully my patrolling last year helped keep them from breeding and reduced the population.

Also, if you can catch them early -- as soon as they start feeding -- it will help too. When they find a plant they like, they emit some kind of pheremone that calls other JBs over to the plant. (Which was certainly what was going on with the neighbor's rose of sharon last year.) So if you can get them as soon as they start feeding, they won't emit that pheremone, and won't call their buddies over to join them.

I did see a wheelbug eating a JB the other day. It was cool.

:-) Mel

I've heard good things about Sevin on JB, though I haven't used it myself. I've had good results with malathion on all beetles. Both are labeled for fruit trees, and I think judicious use of either of these products would be appropriate at this time; then, keep an eye on things to see if a follow-up app. is needed for any "new" JBs that come your way.

Best of luck!

I don't use pesticides so I have been trying insect killng soap. I'm not sure if it really kills the beetles or if their shell protects them. I spray them individually and they don't die right away, sometimes they even fly away. I am hoping they die eventually. Has anybody ever used the insecticidal soap?

I also go out with a jar of soapy water and knock them into the jar. That works the best, but unfortunately only on the ones that can be reached. I try not to grow plants that are their favorite ones.