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Re[2]: cutworms, grubs, Japanese beetles, June bugs

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

     Hi Kim,
     
     Other members on the list might be more informed, but I too live in 
     So. Cal. and this is what I think your bugs are. The iridescent ones 
     we call Japanese beetles, and they eat figs. Ours got to be golf-ball 
     sized and dive bomb you (we cut down the fig tree). I think that the 
     huge white grubs in our compost pile with the brown heads are their 
     larva. The small tan flying beetles we call June bugs, and I've never 
     seen them do my veggies any damage, though other folks on the list say 
     they can. I imagine they damage my lawn though, as I've never tried 
     the bioweapon to get rid of them. I don't know what their larva look 
     like, though it's probably similar to the Japanese beetle, but 
     smaller. I don't squish the larva in the compost (except by accident 
     with the pitchfork) because I think they help digest the big pieces. 
     The damage the June bugs do to lawns can be seen by a brown, or dead, 
     patch. This hasn't happened to me, but maybe certain grasses have 
     natural immunity or the proper feeding schedule helps them fight the 
     root damage.
     
     HTH,
     Shawn
     Claremont, CA USDA9b Sunset19
     swestaway@coh.org


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: cutworms, grubs, Japanese beetles, June bugs 
Author:  Kim Kiernan <kkiernan@home.com> at internet
Date:    6/23/99 9:00 PM


Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
     
I'm confused.  Which are the irridescent green and bluish flying beetles 
that are large (about half the size of a thumb).  They make a ton of 
noise when flying around, and seem to like to dive bomb you.  I always 
though these were June bugs, but my neighbor pointed out to me a small 
brownish beetle, about the size of a ladies nail on her ring finger. 
She calls these June bugs.  Neither one seems to fit your description 
below.  Any ideas what these are?  
Oh, and I do find big fat white grubs in my planting beds and in my 
compost sometimes.  I squash these.  Is there any reason I shouldn't?
     
How do you know if you have grubs in your lawn? Do you have do dig up 
part of your lawn in order to tell?
     
Thanks. Kim zone 9, sunset 23 so. cal
     
The Rosses wrote:
> 
> Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html 
> 
> According to "The Insect Guide" R. B. Swain, Japanese beetles are Popillia 
> japonica and the June beetle is Phyliophagea fusca - two very different
> species.  Both are scarab beetles as is the Rose chafer Macrodactylus 
> subspinosus and plenty others.  The adult of all three feed on garden
> flowers and various leaves.  The only carpet beetle I find are not garden 
> problems.  The adult Japanese beetle is iridescent and fairly red, the
> chafer is tan and the May beetle quite large.  The larva of all three feed 
> on roots and can cause all sorts of trouble - the May mainly for coniferous 
> trees, the others for lawn.  Bt on the lawn kills the grubs but it takes
> time - years, or you can knock the adults into a small bottle of soap water 
> or kerosene.  Cutworms includes a large number of species, but they are
> mainly brown, gray or blackish - not white. 
> 
> The rose chafer may be fatal to children if eaten in large quantity - just 
> thought you would like to know.
> 
> John Ross, Northern NY
> ----------
> > From: Martha Wells <flylo@txcyber.com> 
> > To: 'a square foot' <sqft@listbot.com>
> > Subject: cutworms, grubs, Japanese beetles, June bugs 
> > Date: Tuesday, June 22, 1999 10:48 AM
> >
> Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html 
> 
> I always thought those big white larvae (grubs) were also called cutworms, 
> and all are the young June bugs. Gardens Alive! catalog (which I can't find 
> 
> at present) says that there are two bugs similar, the Japanese carpet
> beetle and an ? Iridescent beetle? that, actually, if you eliminate the 
> June bug (Japanese beetle) grub, the other one is more voracious, and
> damaging.
> They do sell an organic product made from cornmeal that seems to work on 
> these insects overall. But, is anyone more up on what's what?
> martha
> 
> end
> 
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