MJB, meet the Japanese Beetle. (appointed, university, safe)

[mjb62676]

So, I'm sitting on the front porch today around lunch enjoying a Dt. Mountain Dew when I see all these critters flying around my tree in the front yard...then I notice the leaves of the tree really look horrible, so I investigate further. I thought they were sweat bees from a distance, then June Bugs, but then I saw these curious green looking creatures all over my poor little tree.

So, I'm spending my evening trying to learn how to eradicate these little boogers. They are DESTRUCTIVE. I think I'll nuke'em with Sevin.

I'd never even heard of them before.

http://www.cirrusimage.com/Beetles/japanese_beetle_001.jpg (broken link)

[pushkinswife]

lawd have mercy and that creature flys????? the horror!!!!

[jabogitlu]

Japanese Beetles are horrible to plants. We fight them in the garden, too. Good luck.

[mjb62676]

At least now I think I know what's caused a couple of curious brown spots in our lawn. I couldn't figure it out because I hadn't seen June Bugs (these are the adult forms of the grubs I'm used to causing lawn damage).

I have heard of using the traps for these beetles, but after a little research, it seems those might attract even more of them.

[jabogitlu]

I've never had an infestation as big as what it seems yours is. I always just pull them off and mash them. Sevin will hopefully work!

[mjb62676]

I probably actually saw about 50-100 around our yard today. I've got a plan for them in the morning. I've been doing some research here:

Managing Adult Japanese Beetles | University of Kentucky Entomology


I'm gonna hit them with the Ortho Product mentioned using the hose end sprayer. Luckily, this is a small cherry tree (which appears to be on their favorites list).

I'm a little disappointed because I LOVE to plant roses, but they apparently attack those as a first choice, so I'm a little hesitant.

[ania]

I have yet to see one this year, but I'm sure it won't be long... Two years ago, I did the same "what happened to my cherry tree"... Seven dust/spray equivalents only kill them after ingestion or direct spray - meaning they still eat & damage. I have also had to protect my plum tree, grape leaves, eggplant, and peaches. I found that they are drawn to thinner leafed trees/plants, and ones that bear fruit or have edible parts.
Milky spore, while expensive, is great once established & safe on everything else. It kills them while in grub state, so the only beetles to attack are from other areas. It's a better alternative to lawn applications of chemicals, but there's still no way around just directly squashing these bugs.

[ania]

If you have any wild/native blackberries on your property - you may want to get rid of those - talk about beetle feast and festival! There are always more of them on the blackberry leaves than on any of my rose bushes...

[mjb62676]

We have some sort of Holly tree of some sort that they were flying around but I couldn't see any damage. I'm trying to figure out if this is a plant they go after. Thus far, I've only seen damage on the flowering cherry.

[jabogitlu]

If you pull up any wild blackberries, don't throw them away. I'll take a start, thanks.