Japanese Beetles Ivading Twin Cites Gardens (St. Paul, Ely: neighborhood, garden, eat)

[JeffTheGreat]

Warning... Japanese Beetles have now established themselves in the Twin Cities area. They destroy many varieties of trees, shrubs, and plants by feeding on the leaves. Please read the article below to learn more about Japanese Beetles and how to control them...
City of St. Paul, MN - Official Website - Japanese Beetle

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[wamer27]

They single handily destroyed my raspberry bushes a few weeks ago. Now they eat the actual raspberries instead of just the leaves. They are now destroying our roses with 20 on each small rose. I take a lighter to them.

[Nemoudeis]

Really, the Japanese beetles haven't been nearly the problem here in Frogtown this year that they have been in the past -- particularly in comparison to the near-Biblical levels of plague they were around here two years ago.

I planted a whole mess of four o'clocks around my garden this spring near my vulnerable plants, because I read that their leaves are both deadly poison and irresistibly delicious to the little critters... and it didn't matter one bit, because I've seen hardly a one all summer long.

And wamer27, I don't think Japanese beetles eat fruit, but there's another new pest that just arrived here within the the last few years, and it is absolutely murder on berry crops: the spotted wing drosophila (another Asian import). I have had 'em every year now since about 2012, and if I don't pick my raspberries AT LEAST every other day during harvest season, those flies will rise up like a zombie bug horde and wreck every berry in my garden.

Except gooseberries. They seem to be ignoring my gooseberries so far.

[Kayekaye]

I found them on my hostas and other plants, eating away. What pesticides work on them? They are really everywhere in my garden.

[TimtheGuy]

I have them again this year on the raspberries and rose bush, but not as bad as the last few years.

[WoodburyWoody]

They came later this year than in the past for us. Usually they have come and gone by mid-July in our neighborhood, but this year did not appear until late July. And, typically, they devour the leaves on a linden tree in our yard in about three days (despite measures taken to prevent that). This year, they have been munching on that tree for about ten days now (again, despite measures taken to prevent that - I figured when we hit mid-July without attack I had figured out the right approach this time).

[welby1205]

This is why I put a beetle bag up every year.

[gophers1991]

I haven't noticed them in awhile. They seemed much more common several summers back. My experience could be completely off though.

[TheGrandViking]

The best controls are Milky spore, traps, or just taking a bucket with soapy water in the morning to let them drop in as they do their instinctive fleeing.

They are area dependent and are more attracted to certain plants. They always go first for my Honey crisp apple tree, grapes, and then start on the kale. Easy to kill but their numbers are legion.

[PeachSalsa]

Originally Posted by Nemoudeis

And wamer27, I don't think Japanese beetles eat fruit, .

They MOST DEFINITELY eat fruit. They've eaten my raspberries, both leaves AND fruit. I've found them on my beans, rhubarb, roses, and ferns. They've been on my peppers and on milkweed. Grapes and hostas.

I pick them off and behead them. Or toss in a soapy water bowl. Or spray them with Bug Be Gone if on ornamentals.