Re: Japanese beetles

**H*@aol.com**

As I recall from my research the Japanese Beetle eggs and larvae need  
adequate soil moisture to survive.  If at any point in their development  there 
is a dramatic drying of the soil the egg dries up or the instar is  damaged. 
 This can be one reason for localized declines in JB  populations.

I think the widespread use of Merit in lawns has also contributed to the JB 
 population reduction.

In the NY/NJ area we used to have large outbreaks but they always seemed to 
 be regionalized and localized.  It's been a number of years since I've  
heard of an outbreak though and when I was recently speaking with and 
extension  agent about JB's he said they really haven't been an issue and that the 
Asiatic  Beetle seems to have become more of a pest.

Having said that I had a report just last week of a large outbreak of JB's  
in southern Westchester  County in two villages where raspberries and  
hydrangeas were defoliated and the beetles were described as being 'thick' and  
crawling all over each other.

This would seem to be an indication of a larger outbreak next year..except  
we're pretty dry now and it's prime egg laying season.

One think I've learned in over 40 years in horticulture is never to try and 
 second guess Mother Nature.  But always be ready for her tricks.

Andrew Messinger
The Hampton Gardener is a  registered trade mark and is published every 
week in The Southampton Press, The  Press The Easthampton Press and online at 
27east.com 

In a message dated 7/19/2012 3:00:26 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
mbyrnew@comcast.net writes:

I am glad Duane asked, "Where did all the Japanese beetles  go?" as I 
wondered the same thing. I am 50 miles northwest of Chicago and saw  my first 
beetle June 15 (a week or two early). But since then I have seen only  about a 
dozen of them, and only a couple were on my roses. They  are more interested 
in my daylily blooms this year. Like most of the  country, we are in a 
drought now, but did not have a drought last year like Jo  Ellen mentioned in 
Indy. I wonder if the temperatures (warm March and April,  then some freezes, 
then blistering summer heat) are the reason.  

Michelle Byrne Walsh 

mbyrnew@comcast.net  

Editor 

Indiana Gardening, Missouri Gardener, Wisconsin  Gardening, Ohio Gardener, 
Pennsylvania Gardener magazines  

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