The pests are attacking the Zinnias, Joe pye weed and coneflowers.....do the traps work? or do they just attract more? I have been on patrol with a Shop Vac! These little monsters are fast, but not Shop Vac Fast!
Japanese Beetles have descended
I try to control them with 4'oclocks.
Never tried anything else. I have a picture of you in my mind on shop vac patrol! ^_^ Not a bad.
This message was edited Jul 9, 2008 8:59 AM
I have spread Milky Spore - last fall and late spring in my large back yard - seems to be working well! It's kind of expensive - about $40.00 for a 20 lb bag that is supposed to cover 7,000 sq. ft. But, after a couple of applications, the spores multiply & live for over 10 years. They kill the larvae of J B, but are harmless to "good" insects & earthworms. Just be careful to wear eye protection & cover your nose & mouth when spreading it - you don't want to get it in your lungs! I wear a bandanna over my face & look like a bandit! I am getting ready to do the front yard this evening or tomorrow.
Hi, Deb - Did you get rain last night - we got some, & my grass & flowers are happy! Have a wonderful day! Samantha
Then the 4 oclock thing I read is true?......I have them, they just are not blooming yet....believe you me, if they get them under control when they bloom, I will be planting a blue million of them next year.
Thanks for the milkspoor idea....I will use that as a preventative..
I sucked up nearly 40 of them yesterday, was catching them while they were trying to re populate, if you get my drift....hehehe...I would suck up like 5 at a time, then for good measure, and because I was so irritated at them for eat the Zinnia leaves, I sucked up a huge BumbleBee.....ya know that had to put him in a bad bad mood. So there he is flying around the onside of the shop Vac with all of those bewildered Japanese Beetles.......I am sure they are feeling his wrath....lol
Thanks
I must not be living right. IT storms in parts of the county where I don't live. It even rained at my neighbors across the street but nary a drop in my yard.
I read about Milky Spores. Will it harm butterfly cats? Surely not, please say no. Where do you buy Milky Spores? Do you apply before grass mowing or does it make a difference?
Hey, Shadowjack, be sure to plant those blue millon 4 oclocks away from where you don't want a blue millon seedlings! I have under ground 4'oclock tubers in my perennial beds where space is very limited. So I'm trying to keep a 4'oclock bed waaaayyy over yander. Yes, they kill'em for me. I'm going to put the milky spore in my 2009 budget. This year's Kaput.
Cordeledawg, If Milky Spores is the same as the nematodes that are specialists of the beetle grubs then no it won't hurt the caterpillars. I am pretty sure it is the same but if I am wrong someone correct me. You need to apply them at a certain time early in the grasses growing season. I am sure the exact time for you is much different than it would be for me, but if you find a supplier they will be able to advise you the correct time for your area. I know you need a sprayer to put on the end of your hose for proper application, and it can be pretty expensive depending on your acerage. I've also found information that for them to be most effective the entire neighborhood should be doing it. The problem being even if you kill all the ones in your yard, the ones in your neighbors yard will still be flying and most likely end up munching on your gardens. This is the only reason every year I decide I will put it off yet again lol.
Thank you Meredith for this information. I'm surrounded on three sides with neighbors and my property is 3 acres wide and deep. That is something to think about. I don't have near the problem Shadow Jack is having with JB; enough of a problem to suck them up in a vacuum anyway. All though, each time I dig a planting hole, I unearth at least one grubby little grub.
Deb- Milky spore is a granulated form of "spores of bacillus popilliae", according to the bag. I buy it at Pike's nurseries in Atlanta. It is not the same as beneficial nematodes - I am currently putting those on the lawn, as well. The Milky spore I spread with a fertilizer spreader - the nematodes with a hose-end sprayer. The milky spore must be watered in after spreading, so I make sure I put it down shortly after mowing, so they'll have a shorter trip down to the dirt! I live on a farm, & am sure there are lots of JBs around, but I have noticed a HUGE drop in the #s of the adults (as in hardly any!! :) (& larvae when I am digging) Hope that helps! Samantha
Samantha, does any of these spoers Milk or otherwise, hurt the Butterflys or anything else?...or is it formulated to target grubbs only.
Everything I've read says that milky spore specifically targets grubs - that live IN the soil. The spores live in the soil & reproduce there & inside the grubs, then are released when that grub dies. Caterpillars or any other insect that live & feed above ground will be safe. It has not affected my earthworms, either - still have tons! I am very pleased with my results! I have made 2 applications to the backyard, & am beginning the front yard today or tomorrow. Samantha
Milkspore product works for me too. It's not a panacea, but it worked on the majority of the bettles' population. Since I do butterfly gardening so no harmful chemical is use. I love the hand vac. idea. lol, that's a great idea, you should patent that one!
Hand picking them and drop the buggers into soopy buckets works. They're so nasty, not even fish will eat those beetles!!!
Did you know? For every beetle you're destroying, you potentially elimiate 40 plus future offsprings for the next season.
One note worthy to mention. The traps works, only if your (not so well liked) neighbors use them. Because, they attract bettles from miles away, including those from your yard/garden. lol
Point of interest......the Hand vac does not have enough suction to get them, they fly away too fast....I was out there with a "Full on Shop Vac!" I was not playing around...hahaha Anything worth doing, is worth doing right!
TJB
Ditto, my error, I meant to compliment your Shop Vac. method. And not a hand vac. Point is well taken, TJB.
Kim
Okay I guess I was getting my japanese beetle grub treatments confused. Here is a link that talks about the beneficial nematodes. http://www.mastergardeners.org/publications/nematodes/beneficial_nematodes.html
Here is a supplier of Milky Spore http://homeharvest.com/milkyspore.htm
I checked the website for Milky Spore. A 40 oz. can covers 10,000 sq. ft. and costs $100. I need 30# so it will cost me $1200. That's a wee bit more than I care to spend at the moment. I sent an email to see if they have larger units.
Gary
LOL.....I just didn't want anyone running about with a hand vac trying to suck them up....hahaha and getting frustrated.....
Hmmm....I need to check the square footage, I don't think I have too much of an area to cover...
Thanks all for this info.
TJB
Ditto that! Thank you, for sharing yours. Over and out. Best of lucks everyone on controlling those buggers! My JB population is down 85-90% since we used M.S. in the garden the past years. It's pricey yes, but it's worth every pennies that we spent. Other organic/mechanical control work to supplement the survivors of those bugs. The best news of all, there are days I patrol my garden, especially roses, Japanese maples, there are NO BETTLES to be found! yeah!!!
Oh I do have those four o'clock in the garden, to 'deter' those beetles as well.
Happy gardening to all.
Kim
Who wants to go halves with me on a 50# drum of Milky Spore? Free shipping.
Gary
I looked in Plant Files under common name "four oclocks" and had no matches. Can anyone help me find info on them.
Try this:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/92/
gk - I got 20 # bags of Milky spore for $39.99/bag of granules. Each is supposed to cover 7,000 sq. ft. I think the powder is supposed to be more concentrated, but I did put some of that down first, & it is IMHO harder to put out. I have seen a long tube that is sold to dispense the powder, but did not have one, so I had to do it by hand. A spoonful or 2, every 4 feet in rows, all over my yard - I figured it would be easier to use a fertilizer spreader, & it was! (for the granules) Samantha
I can see where the granules would be easier but was told the granules need to be put down multiple times opposed to the concentrate. I've got three acres that I mow around the house, barn, machine sheds and garage. Once around with the granules is $720 if I can't buy in bulk. I'd need to do that three times (according to the email received) to equal once around with the concentrate. The cost of the concentrate is a bit over $800. If I buy the 50# drum of concentrate I could get by with half the drum and sell the rest. That would cost me only $600.
Thanks Codeledawg.
Mirabilis jalapa, Four oclocks
I went to a couple of the vendors listed and sent myself an email to help me remember come spring. Now, if only I can remember to buy them.*grin*
Goodness, don't but four o'clocks! They are a pass along plant. Let me send you some seeds gk1153.