My kids have the habit of bug hunting while we’re taking walks. I find myself frequently stopping as the kids follow a trail of ants, or point out a spider. I don’t mind, and I always remind them to be gentle with the critters they discover.
About a month ago, my daughter suddenly exclaimed, “Mom, look at this most beautiful bug I found!” I strolled over to see her pointing at a Japanese beetle with her stick. It’s iridescent back was full of colors, and it’s emerald green hood sparkled in the sun. I could feel the blood start to rush to my head as I instantly remembered all the jars I have filled with those insects as I plucked them out of my beloved garden and into soapy water.
“Yes”, was my reply, “but this is one bug that you can kill.”
Japanese Beetles have been in my yard for the last 4 years, and they are most likely in yours. They feed on the leaves, flowers, and fruit of over 276 kinds of plants, and to make matters worse, they deposit their eggs in the soil below. So, if you have them one year, you’ll have them the next.
We have a couple products to control these chewing insects. One is Milky Spore, a powder applied a couple of times a year that builds in the soil and kills the grubs that turn into adult beetles. The other product is Bayer Tree and Shrub Protector. This one is also applied to the soil, but it is a systemic, meaning the plant soaks it up into it’s system, and when the insects eat the leaves, they die from it. It also contains a fertilizer to help restore any damage the Japanese Beetles have caused. This one, of course, wouldn’t be recommended for fruit or vegetable plants.
I already started applying the Milky Spore this spring, and I’ll be taking home the Bayer product today to make sure I save my plants!
As with all plant disease or insect problems, your local University Extension Office is a good resource http://urbanext.illinois.edu/bugreview/japanesebeetle.cfm