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Re: Japanese Beetle tip

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Ed Flynn wrote:

>When attacked a Japanese Beetle attempts its escape by falling toward
>the ground.

Yes, that's true. Or if they're just bothered. I find that in the afternoon,
they're far more active, and only take a slight dip downwards before flying
away. Mornings (til noonish, it seems) and very late afternoon into the
evenings, they seem a bit more lethargic.

>If you walk along your roses ... holding a bucket with a bit of soapy
>water in it below the plant  ... and sweep your other hand over your
>roses (or whatever) the beetles will mostly drop into the water

I'm currently doing this, as often as I can -- would love to do it morning
and early evening, but haven't gotten that disciplined (or found the time)
just yet -- and I use just a small amount of water (as Ed said), with soap
added after (so I can see the results of my labor instead of the bubbles).
With only a small amount of water, the bucket isn't too heavy. I also use a
wide trowel to sort of push the infested branch down toward, or even
slightly into the bucket. Sometimes I give the branch a bit of a bob to
knock them off, if they're VERY into whatever it is they're doing (and too
often it's mating).

This isn't at all different from what Ed said, just offering my little
technique in case it's helpful to someone. 

>If you find any traps donate them to your neighbors as they draw more
>beetles to your area than they kill.

I'm certainly no expert, but between my hand harvesting, and the two traps
we put out less than a week ago, I now see a fairly dramatic decrease in the
number actually ON the roses and grapes and zinnias and glads. 

Milky Spore is our next step. I've delegated that to DH, but if he takes
much longer to get a *round tuit*, I'll take over the job myself. I SO
dislike these voracious but beautiful little creatures -- I don't want any
more of them next year than enough to give me the merest reminder of my
toils (and disgust) from this year. Yecch.

BTW, the woman at the garden center said it takes Milky Spore years to work.
Is that true? Any experience anyone?

Patricia
Zone 7b, West Georgia


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