Japanese beatles - not playing my song!

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by slredmond on August 30, 2005 08:53 AM

I'm currently at war with a thriving crop of Japanese beatles. I have never seen them so heavy. They have nearly denuded my 10 new (this spring) cherry trees, and lately their taste preference has switched to my once-beautiful cannas.

We have 1 1/2 acres of lawn, so treatment better be effective! We used a grub killer late spring, and put down the expensive version of Milky Spore about 3 weeks ago. We spray Scotts Japanese Beatle killer about once a week, and they just keep coming (and eating)! I have beatle bags placed around the yard, but no closer than 40 yards from plantings. Should I get rid of the bags all together? I don't want to draw them in. Any suggestions greatly appreciated on the bags and treatment options.

Sandy in SW Michigan

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Sandy R.

by BFVISION on August 30, 2005 10:10 AM

Sandy,
Its been a tough year with the JB. From what I hear, Milky spore is more long term then short. I have taken down my traps because I felt I was drawing more in. My advice would be to do the same so you don't have to spray so often. At this point I just flick them off and hope next year is better.

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BFVISION

http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=2122269418&mode=guest

by slredmond on August 31, 2005 11:53 PM

Thanks for your input. I think I'll ditch the bags. I read in another post from last year that now they think the Milky Spore may not really be as effective as first thought. So glad I spent the $350! My local farm bureau though swears by it's beneficial long-term effects.

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Sandy R.

by weezie13 on September 01, 2005 01:20 AM

I also really dislike those bags.
They contain a pheromone that attracts them
to the bags..welllllll they attrack more
than you can handle I believe..

Long story on how I came to that conclusion,
but will need to post that another time...

Time is short today..

But, you can spend all the money you want on that
Milky Spore stuff, and probably works great to kill the grubs in YOUR lawn, but what about the 12 neighbors immediately surrounding your home, and so on....
Everyone in your neighbor would have to do the same for it to work..*IMHO [teacher]

*

I plant some trap crops that they like better than some of the others.. they are mostly weeds that I know they like and preferr..
I'll post some of those later..

And also, when your plants are stressed..
that sends a signal out to those pesky buggers
that they're sick from something and to come
eat them...
so watch your plants' health..

I'll click my email notification button and watch the post if you have any other questions, that
I went to fast with...

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Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/

by slredmond on September 07, 2005 11:54 PM

Thanks Weezie. I took down the bags, and either that was helpful or it's getting cool enough here (nights in the 50's) that the bugs have taken a hike! My local bug expert says the milky spore will gradually spread to the neighbors yard. Here's hoping! Hopefully my poor, half-naked cherry trees will make it though the winter.

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Sandy R.

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