Can anyone give me some natural ideas for my blueberries and raspberries that are being eaten by the tons of beetles that are here! We had gotten beetle traps and placed them away from the plants but I think we drew all the neighbors beetles also! I know we could spray but I wanted to avoid that because we also raise bees and also pick and eat when we are outside! If anyone has any ideas I'd be grateful!! Bonnie
You have my sympathies - japanese beetles are a pest I remember well from my childhood. I'm grateful I don't have to deal with them now that we live in Oregon.
My Mom used to arm my sister & me with quart mayonaise jars with some salad oil & water in the bottom and pay us to hand pick the devils off her plants. A full jar was worth a buck & a trip to the Good Humor truck. We made out pretty well & Mom's gardens looked great. Prices have probably gone up since then, but if you have any young kids around, you might give it a try.
Nancy T
Agreed, and this is the only really effective method I ever found. They ravaged my Hollyhock's leaves until they loked like lace.
Maggie
Seems like Japanese Beetles emerge all at once. Some years are worse than others. I use a wide mouth jar with 1" of water with a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Position the open jar under the beetle and tap the beetle into the jar. Sometimes you can get several at one time. This can be time-consuming, but the invasion won't last long. The BTI treatments are expensive and they are not too effective for just one property.
Milky Spore. It is a natural biological control of the Japanese Beetle grub. MS is not an instant solution as it takes some time for it to inoculate your soil. MS attacks the grubs and then reproduces a gazillion times to inoculate.
I had the same problem with JB eating my raspberries until I inoculated my entire property (3 acres) with MS. Problem solved.
Not only are the JBs gone but so are problems with moles, skunks or any other grub eating critters.
John
My Grandpa Tony did the same with us and paid $0.10/100.
Being the young entrepeneur I watched him dispose of the beetles, gathered them up and "recycled" improving profits quite a bit - until he caught me. That was when I learned a valuable business lesson: do not screw your customer, especially when you have only one.
John
Much better to do the milky spore now so that next spring beetles are well under control.
I¹d talk to your neighbors and see if they are interested too.
Milky spore is the way to go but not a quick fix. That said look at this but please go milky.
Bill who has no beetles about but will not brag as that can change tonight. :))
soapy water wil does kill the beetles.
I have a Jap beetle invasion right now... screw that greenie weenie wuss way, they ain't gettin' my plants... Sevin rulz!
Don't you just want to hug him?;o)
Uhhh...yeah...that's not quite the word I'd choose, but whatever floats your t**d...
Sounds like the feller needs to learn about healthy soil.
Oh yeah, sorry, healthy soil and all is greenie weenie wussy stuff...gotta be a good republican and go effing poison sumpthin.......that's the macho way to do growin' business......sheesh.
Charlie
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