@gasrocks

Where do you buy this stuff? Is it available at the big box stores or through nurseries? Sounds like a good way to deal with the nasty little bugs.

Amazon.com

Hate
Japanese
Beetles

At least one saving grace. Here in MO, they are not nearly as bad as they were on New England.

There they were tenacious and devoured rose bushes overnight.

In my small sunny space (the JBs don't go to the shadier areas), the first flush of roses is just about done when the JBs arrive. I did cut down my porcelain berry vine (sniff!) because they seemed most attracted to it over all other plants.

I've given up roses because of JBs - could not bear to go out in the morning and find the buds half devoured. When I had a flock of chickens I enjoyed watching them in the Rose Garden - they made a quick meal and I got revenge.....

But the jbs found new taste treats in my Japanese Maples, the flowering chestnuts, the Orchard...they are my nemesis....

Japanese Maple after JB infestation

jersey - ouch! I dread that first week in June when they start arriving. I've found in my garden that it's more of a height thing for them. They seem to prefer the 3 ft to 5 ft height range. I tried 4 o'clocks one year because I had read that the JBs are repelled by them but the JBs never went that low in the garden. Most of my garden is in some level of shade where they never venture so I only keep an eye on a few places.

The JBs are horrid this year. Totally have trashed ALL my roses. And Hibiscus. I have found them on ~ 3 dozen different species! In the last two days I have collected ~ 200 or so. I hold a sandwich baggy under them and shake them in. I also have about an ounce of Neem oil in the bag. Then I zip it up and lay it on concrete.

Aphids and JBs are two things I cut NO slack. NONE.

Thankfully my roses were done with their first big flush of flowers. I'll get a few more towards the end of the season. They generally ignore anything blooming below 3 ft. In lieu of any flowers currently above that height, they've settled for the leaves of self-sown morning glories. Those leaves present an ideal "party" space for a group of them. Easy to knock into my container of soapy water.

About a week ago I got out of my car I had parked under the tree for the shade, and heard this buzzing sounds. I thought wow another swarm of bees. I looked up and OH NO SWARM of JB!!!!!
As you can see it is a grown tree as tall as my house, the jb ate every leaf in about 2 days! It is a white birch tree and now they have headed to the other white birch tree and to the peely bark birch tree. I do believe the jb's are dying out now because my ducks weigh about 20lbs a piece and can hardly waddle since eating the dead ones on the patio....lol. So if you see baby huey, it is just my ducks. Gotta laugh

Wow! At least the ducks are happy. I've only seen that once where the JBs converge on a tree, in my friends' yard. It was an ornamental tree with purple leaves but don't know what type of tree. The tree seems to survive it but looks awful the rest the of the growing season.

They are horrible in my yard this year as well. First year I have had then. Or noticed them anyways. I tried organic sprays. Did no good. I had to step it up to sevin spray. Shortly after spraying i could see the little monsters on the ground dead. One Person told me liquid soap in water and spray bottle works too.

Whatever you do, do not set up JB traps. That will invite more into your yard where they will reproduce. Unless you can put it way way away from your gardens then maybe

That is true about the traps unless you set them in someone elses yard....lol just kidding. I live out in the middle of no where. Never had them before. There are about 10 new leaves on the top of the tree. Too big to spray, course now they have moved on to the other birch. Not sure there is a good option for control. They eventually are grubs in the ground but where? I live out in the middle of nowhere so how much grub control would you have to use? 5 acres? more....sides I have chickens and ducks, dogs, and me...lol

happ - We did put down milky spore a couple of years in a row but haven't for a few years. If I remember correctly, I think you put the stuff down in late summer. Theoretically, once it's in the soil, you shouldn't have to put it down again. I wonder how far the JBs fly after mating to lay eggs. Bet it wouldn't be too far. Maybe chose a few areas - not the whole 5 acres - where they've concentrated their destruction?

We had a LOT of them move into a line of drift roses this year. I made daily raids and just crushed them by the hands-full (wearing gloves of course) and dumping them on the ground. Birds cleaned them up. In a few days, I found an enterprising female house sparrow would fly in, land on the blooms and prey on the beetles. I saw this activity for a few weeks. My raids killed them in the hundreds each time. Policed by the sparrow, I made fewer and fewer raids. Now I'm hard pressed to find any. My raiding technique seems to be turning the tide for squash bugs as well! With those, I water with the shower setting making sure to get the base of the growing stem. Then I spray as much leaf underside as possible. This triggers adults and larvae to crawl up the leaf stems. As they do so, I snatch them up. I also crush the egg masses when I see them. Doing OK so far...they are still there...just not many.

Urban - it's always great if you can get the birds to do the JB work for you. To enhance the birds returning next year to help patrol, you can set up a suet feeder over winter in that area. The birds will get used to coming to that area for food. Also adding a birdbath during the warmer months will attract more birds as well.

Later the jb headed for the small apple trees. I did let the chickens out and I would shake the tree and the chickens would go wild...lol Impossible to get them all. I never had them before this year and then had them by the thousands.

Yes - they have been horrible here this year! And last year was the first time in Buchanan county. Note that they have subsided by a great deal and they are supposed to be gone by mid August. I still have a few. Nothing like a while back. A month ago they were everywhere.

Little monsters ate my blackberries , not anywhere as bad here as times past ,, only I really get aggravated because of those things ,,
Little eating machines ,,
As to how bad they can be , is impossible

Shadegardener said:Urban - it's always great if you can get the birds to do the JB work for you. To enhance the birds returning next year to help patrol, you can set up a suet feeder over winter in that area. The birds will get used to coming to that area for food. Also adding a birdbath during the warmer months will attract more birds as well.

We have problems with JB's on roses, beans, raspberries, and even on daylilies when the roses aren't blooming. Great idea (putting suet feeder over winter). We don't lack in bird activity because we feed them so much. We will have to try the suet feeder next to the area that needs patrol. Perhaps we need to feed the birds less during JB season. Sounds like a brilliant idea...hope it works for us!!!

I can't take credit for the idea. I heard it on a "You Bet Your Garden" podcast. If you feed the birds less during the warmer months, they'll have to actually go looking for food.
Usually my roses are done with their spring flush of blooms by the time the JBs show up. DD in MI gets swarms of them on her raspberries. I didn't have as many JBs this year - only a couple at a time spread out over 8 weeks. I did cut down my porcelain berry vine which seems to be a favorite for them. Not sure if that made the difference or not.