Re: Japanese Beetle Natural Checks

**N* V* <i*@cobrahead.com>**

T.C.,

Read   http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/land508.html#land2

The Japanese parasitic fly is actually starting to make measurable gains in
the east.

I'm not expecting any miracle breakthroughs in the next few years, but I do
expect the exploding and mostly unchecked population in Wisconsin to subside
as the birds, wasps, nematodes, and other natural killers of the beetle
begin to figure out that it's good to eat.

That has been the case elsewhere as the beetle moves across the country.

In the meantime, I've been pretty successful in keeping my raspberries and
grapes free from major damage by handpicking.  It's a pain and must be done
daily, but it works and my new bug collector is really efficient.  I think
I'm starting to see the swarming effect lessening.

My single rose that I got at a garden show somewhere is coming through this
year's onslaught unscathed.

Noel Valdes
CobraHead LLC
W9545 Hwy. 18
Cambridge, WI 53523
608-423-9119 tel
866-962-6272 toll free
608-423-4884 fax
info@cobrahead.com
www.cobrahead.com
www.cobrahead.com/blog

On Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 3:20 PM, TC <tc@thewritegardener.com> wrote:

> Noel,
>
> Thanks for the info. I knew that it wasn't a problem in Japan due to
> natural
> predators there. However, I wasn't aware that a parasitic wasp had been
> introduced here. I read the entomology newsletter and couldn't quite see
> where the wasp had been introduced. You sound very confident that some
> control of the JB may be realized. I wish I could have such hope!
>
> TC
>
>
_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters

GWL has searchable archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters

Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos

Post gardening questions/threads to
&quot;Gardenwriters on Gardening&quot; &lt;gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org&gt;

For GWL website and Wiki, go to
http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters