For a minute there I thought I had to get off my couch, when all the while the fact is we don't have to do anything much but keep things afloat for just a few decades more! In fact, we'd best shut up about PO, because if our offspring finds out we knew about it all along, they'll turn and wring our necks come 2036!
Joined: Sep 16, 2004 Posts: 4272 Location: Southwest WI
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 1:12 am Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
I've been reading a lot of posts lately about this bug (gardenweb/nafex) and don't like it. It might just be a matter of time before i'm dealing with it. Sounds like a good reason to rip out the lawn and woodchip it! Its pretty sad when you have to spend all day protecting your trees and plants form pests. Looks like they landed in UTAH...
Quote:
OREM, UT — The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food has declared all out war on n Japanese beetles after their discovery this past year on residential properties in this city of 85,000 residents in north-central Utah.
On Tuesday, May 15, department officials announced an infestation emergency declaration and said they had hired TruGreen ChemLawn of Utah at $400,000 per year to eradicate the pest. The effort could take as many as three years, said the officials were quoted in an article in the Daily Herald.
The Japanese beetle is an imported pest that was first detected in New Jersey in 1916. As larvae they feed on roots and can severely damage turfgrass, ornamentals and vegetables. Japanese beetle adults feed on hundreds of varieties of broad-leaved plants. It is almost exclusively found in the East, but occasionally turns up in the West, generally, it is believed, inadvertently shipped in commerce..
Utah officials fear that the spread of the pest could threaten the state’s fruit and vegetable industry and result in a quarantine being put on their plants by other states.
TruGreen ChemLawn is reportedly using Merit insecticide to kill the pest on properties within an area of the city deemed to be at risk from the pest. Meanwhile, officials have begun an education program to gain cooperation and to educate homeowners about the Japanese beetle, and why it has to be eradicated in Utah.
Click here to read the Daily Herald article about Utah’s efforts to kill every Japanese beetle in the state.
link _________________ "Oil is going up because we use too much oil, and the capacity to replace reserves is dwindling"
-President Bush 11/07/07
Joined: Nov 18, 2004 Posts: 1056 Location: Central Texas
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:01 am Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
Sorry to hear ya'll are having a tough time with JBs. Fortunately they have not showed up in Central Texas, or at least I'm not aware of any JBs here. The only plants that I'm growing which are having problems are the grape vines. The vines grow out ok, but the ants/aphids? invaded them and they seem to keep any fruit from producing. I haven't figured out yet how to fix that without using pesticides. But shouldn't this thread be in the Pests thread above? Why should JBs get their own thread? Just asking... _________________ About my avatar: A glassy sphere and a mineral particle magnified 1500 times using a scanning electron microscope.
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 6141 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:05 am Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
Colorado-Valley wrote:
Wait until you guys run into squash bugs.
Squash bugs are unpleasant, but do not compare with JBs in total destructiveness or omnivorousness or difficulty of control. No pest does. The JB is like all the others rolled into one. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 6141 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:10 am Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
BastardSquad wrote:
I wander if they're edible? If they kill my crops(in a crash scenario)I'll have to eat something.
They are mostly exoskeleton (and a stiff, spiky one at that), with very little interior meat. I can hardly think of anything more unpleasant to eat. In fact, even many bird species avoid them or eat only a few. Perhaps they could be ground up for chicken feed, but collecting and processing them might be more trouble than it's worth. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 6141 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:15 am Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
A few of the posts already reflect the "complacency" I referred to in my opening post. I'm telling you, this bug is different. It could cause you to abandon some of your gardening projects altogether. It could cause you to starve. And it's spreading west. It warrants a thread of its own. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:26 am Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
Here's a method that is sustainable: I surround certain beds with perennial nepeta (aka catnip). Nepeta repels a lot of bugs, (and my cats appreciate the bounty in the form of catnip ceegars come fall!)
Also, attracting cardinals to your area will help; they seem to love these tasty beetles. My neighbours and I are in a friendly, funny competition to see who can attract more of the red birds at our feeders, and hence help our garden beds.
I'll have a look at my organic gardening manuals and see if I can find more tips for you, H. I recall there is something about adding/cultivating nematodes that works on the Japanese beetle larvae before they turn into bugs, but cannot access it from here.
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 6141 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 7:52 am Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
It's true that cardinals eat some JBs. But it makes little difference, I'm afraid. I've done everything I can to encourage birds on my 25-acre property, but the JBs keep coming in relentless waves. The birds simply can't eat enough to make any noticeable difference. Things like nematodes and milky spore would be useful only if everyone everywhere used them, since the JB can fly several miles. But on a large property it's simply impossible, not to mention unaffordable. How much catnip would it take to protect an orchard against JBs? Mountains, if it worked at all, which I seriously doubt. Basically, they ignore such measures. They simply fly to your food plant and start munching, and strip it to the veins.
There is no defense against the JB, except pesticides used directly on plants you are growing. And Surround, if you're willing to respray immediately after every rainfall. Eventually the JB will become fully resistant to pesticides, a process already well under way. What happens is that, sooner or later, you simply give up trying to grow the things JBs like. Unfortunately, that leaves very little else to grow. (Tomatoes are one, thank God.) _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 8:04 am Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
Japanese beetle larvae are the fat white C-shaped grubs found under turf and grassy lawns. Heineken, perhaps these beetles are so prolific where you are because of lots of nearby lawns? I have only seen a few so far this year but I dug up most of my lawn last year.
/sarcasm on
Since they can be controlled by handpicking, after TS has HTF, it will be part of an exciting new entertainment package, gathering inedible beetles off of plants in a large garden again and again and again....
Joined: May 13, 2005 Posts: 2610 Location: The Urban Village
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 8:28 am Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
I seem to remember growing up in eastern Virginia that the small farmers all had Purple Martin apartment-nests. The Purple Martin I think eats a variety of insect pests including the JB.
Joined: Jun 25, 2005 Posts: 249 Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 9:51 am Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
When I was a kid we used diatomaceous earth on the plants in our garden that were suseptable to bugs. We'd mix it with water and spray it on the plants. It would have to be re-applied every so often as it would weather off in the rains. It seemed to work okay, but we didn't have Japanese Beetles, so them I don't know.
They don't eat tomatoes? Does that also mean they don't eat potatoes?
Joined: Sep 16, 2004 Posts: 4272 Location: Southwest WI
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 10:12 am Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
Heinekin-I know where your coming from. Before going on my nazi death march, i wasn't sure what was chomping on all my leaves (thank god they didn't touch the peach leaves). My plums, apples, and a few veggies all had significant damage. If i had to hand pick every year, i would probably do without or just let them have there way. I had to send off and email to the University of WI to find out what i had. Rose Chafers have a chemical in them that can KILL chickens and i'm guessing other birds. The chemical in enough dosage to a human male can cause erections to last 4 hrs (i'm not making this up, and NO, i'm not eating them!). Here is something kind of interesting.
Quote:
Rose chafer, Macrodactylus subspinosus (Fabricius)
This general feeder is related to the Japanese beetle and the life cycle is similar. Rose chafer was first reported as a grape pest as early as 1810, later extending its host range to include a wide assortment of host plants. Grape remains among the most severely injured crops. Larvae overwinter in soil, resuming development in the spring. Adults emerge in late May or early June, near the time of grape bloom. These are tan, long-legged beetles about 12 mm long. Mating and egg laying occur continuously for about two weeks with each female depositing 24 to 36 eggs. The average life span of the adult is about three weeks, when they feed on blossoms, newly set fruit and leaves. In about two weeks, eggs hatch and larvae begin feeding on grass roots. This pest is more common in areas with light sandy soils. There is one generation per year.
Control is seldom needed for this pest, but vigilance should be maintained early in the season in case of high numbers. In severe cases, blossom buds are often completely destroyed, resulting in little or no grape production. Population levels vary from year to year. Petal-fall sprays for grape berry moth will also control rose chafers.
I wonder if you could plant something that would draw them away from your other fruit trees. A decoy? I'm tossing around the idea of just putting in some rose bushes. They can eat the hell out of those if they want. _________________ "Oil is going up because we use too much oil, and the capacity to replace reserves is dwindling"
-President Bush 11/07/07
Joined: Oct 04, 2004 Posts: 5136 Location: Oklahoma
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 10:39 am Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
SpringCreekFarm's Guinea fowl idea is a good one, I think. Guineas are nice to have around, too, IMO. You have to care for them when they're babies, but once they are grown they can become mostly feral. _________________ "Every junkie's like a setting sun..." - Neil Young
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 6141 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 2:14 pm Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
NoLogos wrote:
Japanese beetle larvae are the fat white C-shaped grubs found under turf and grassy lawns. Heineken, perhaps these beetles are so prolific where you are because of lots of nearby lawns? I have only seen a few so far this year but I dug up most of my lawn last year.
/sarcasm on
Since they can be controlled by handpicking, after TS has HTF, it will be part of an exciting new entertainment package, gathering inedible beetles off of plants in a large garden again and again and again....
They are prolific here because they are fully established here. I live in a rural, forested area with far fewer lawns than the typical suburban area. Of course, that still means plenty of lawns. Remember, the beetles can fly in from elsewhere. Whatever practices you use on your own property are irrelevant, I'm afraid.
They cannot be controlled by handpicking. Not unless you want to stand guard next to a particular plant all day, every day, all summer long. Totally impossible for people with large numbers of plants to protect, believe me. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 6141 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 2:18 pm Post subject: Re: Japanese beetles---a good reason to feel doomerish
SpringCreekFarm wrote:
What about guinea fowl? Anyone tried these? I intend to get some when I win the argument with my wife to allow these noise makers into the garden area. My understanding of guineas is that they eat bugs but don't disturb the plants. I read an article in Countryside Magazine a while back that disputes the effectiveness of these birds, but that was only one thing I read. For the most part, they are very effective at keeping the garden clean of most insects, albiet probably beneficial insects too. Just my 2 cents Canadian.
Sorry my friend, guinea fowl (and chickens) are worthless for controlling JBs. Guinea fowl forage mostly on the ground. JBs fly, and they usually defoliate the highest branches and shoots most aggressively. They are essentially immune even to guinea fowl.
Birds are not an effective control for the JB. If they ate enough of them, this problem would not exist. They do not eat enough of them, not nearly. The JB is not particularly appealing to birds in general, although they do eat a few.
Birds . . . not a factor.
I don't think those of you who have not experienced serious JB infestation realize the numbers of beetles involved. It's like a plague of locusts. They just keep coming and keep coming, all summer long. There is no defense---none. Let me repeat this: Nothing works against them. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Last edited by Heineken on Sun Jun 17, 2007 2:39 pm; edited 1 time in total
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