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YES.... It's time for those *!#~? Beetles!! Japanese Beetles were "accidentally introduced" to the U.S. and the first one was noticed in New Jersey in 1916... Adult beetles feed during the day on a wide variety of plants including flowers (especially roses), ripening fruit and tender leaves with small veins. On trees, they only eat the tissues between the veins. The beetles emerge from a grub stage in late June and most of July. They are often seen in clusters of 100 or more hanging from fruit or flowers. Adult beetles live for 30-45 days. Before dying, female beetles lay eggs in lawns and other areas under the soil surface. "Grubs" hatch and feed on roots until the cold weather drives them down into the soil below the frost line. "Control" of adult Japanese Beetles can be achieved through the use of insecticidal soaps listing Japanese beetles as an insect they will control. I myself have gained a deep satisfaction knocking them off my plants in to a jar of soapy water, then leaving it in a sunny spot. Yeah, I know, harsh, huh! They should have stayed off my blueberry plants! They get sluggish at dusk, so that is a good time to tap them in to jars. Totally chemical free, and as stated, deeply satisfying. Although Sevin is the "go-to-chemical", it is also highly toxic to bees. Bees have enough to worry about without gardeners spraying all willy-nilly and causing dead bees. We gardeners are supposed to be taking care of the earth, not helping destroy. Traps are also effective and contrary to many beliefs, they only draw beetles from about a 50 foot radius. Place traps at least 12-15 feet from plants they're feeding on. DO NOT place traps directly next to plants or hang them from a tree (What would you rather have, Prime Rib or Hamburger?)!!!!! Empty trap compartments or change the bag regularly!The stench (and we do mean stench) of the decomposing beetles will overpower the scent of the bait making it ineffective. NOTE: 1 (one) bait should last the entire "Beetle Season". However, each bag may need to be emptied every evening. To save some money, get over the "ick- gross!!" and turn the beetle filled bag upside down into a small trash bag and hang the now empty bag back on the trap. Again, do this late in the day when they are sluggish so they aren't flying around you reminding you of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Birds" while you try to work. Control Beetles in the "GRUB" stage with Milky Spore. Please note that all the chemical controls are being tested for their collateral damage to all kinds of other good insects and birds they also kill. Big studies are going on. Fall is the best time to control Japanese Beetle Grubs because this is the time that they are smallest and easiest to KILL. NOTE: Milky Spore can be applied any time the ground is not frozen.
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