Re: Japanese Beetles
- To:
- Subject: Re: Japanese Beetles
- From: M* T*
- Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2000 04:54:15 -0400
----------
> From: Blee811@aol.com
> Date: Thursday, August 10, 2000 7:58 AM
>
> I haven't kept records, Marge, but my impression is that the
Japanese beetles
> emerged very late this year--at the end of the daylily season.
Perhaps they
> came at their normal time but everything bloomed early, though. I
hope you
> have lost them and they're not simply delayed.
Doubt seriously they are gone for good....nice thought, tho' as they
are definitely NOT my fav. insect.
>
> ===>In my gardens, they seem to change their tastes from year to
year. For a
> couple of years they used to sit in the asparagus foliage--I dopn't
think
> they were actually feeding there, but trying to attract each other
for, well,
> you know... Another year they nearly decimated the dawn redwood,
but have
> never returned to it. This year, for the first time, they're
chewing away on
> the big flowers of the hardy hibiscus, but seem to prefer the white
flowers
> to the red ones. Go figure.
Now, I have not heard of them being attracted to asparagus before -
for food or play. Used to grow that and the only pests it ever had
on it were those dratted asparagus beetles with all their slimy
youngsters.
Your beetles seem to be very adventurous. Mine seem devoted to
roses.
>
> ===>I like to think the moles are eating their grubs. Those moles
ought to
> be good for something because I sure can't get rid of them. But I
still
> maintain that the way to decrease the Japanese beetle population is
to keep
> after them. I keep jars of water around to tap them into and if
the jar
> isn't handy I too will squash and leave them. It takes a little
while to get
> over the squeamishness but once you do it can even be satisfying.
I too live
> in the middle of the woods so at least am not getting JBs from
neighbors.
Moles *are* good for something - they eat grubs by the gallon and
aerate compacted clay soil:-) I'm actually quite fond of them - very
soft fur.
I've tried the dropping in soapy water bit, but never seem to have
that handy when I see one, so squashing is the next best thing. And,
you are right, it is most satisfying -
Do you have fields or pasture nearby? These are not really denizens
of deep woods, although I have found their grubs in odd places on
occasion.
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@clark.net
Editor: Gardening in Shade
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