BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Roses japanese beetles

[color:"purple"]i'm looking for what i can do to get rid of these things (permanantly, if it's possible <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> )!

i just found a couple on my rose bush. the bush is 4 years old and pretty healthy considering it's got black spot. i'm spraying it regularly (the spray also got rid of the aphids) and it's doing well (thought i was going to lose it last year as the product i'd bought for the black spot was not as effective as what i'm using now).

i'd be a bit concerned about the beetles to begin with. i'm even more concerned now because i just (and i do mean just...within the past 3-4 days) transplanted 6 rosebushes, some peony's, a hydrangea, lots of black-eyed susan's and a groundcover i don't know the name of from a neighbors yard (they rented from a relative and didn't maintain the garden and now the house has been sold...she said i was more than welcome to take whatever i wanted as the new owner was going to tear everything out). i've also got purple coneflower and iris that are well established.

from what i understand, the jp's like most of these plants!

altho the majority of the roses are very old & have well-established roots (and i did make sure to get as much of the main roots as i could) most of them weren't doing well as the bed was almost completely overgrown with weeds and now they are in shock from being moved. they do not need to be eaten by the jp's.

anyone have any good ideas on what i can do to get rid of them???

thx!! [/color]

Japanese beetles are difficult to get rid of by chemical spraying. Unless you hit one directly it doesn't help much.
Remember insecticides kill everything, beneficial bugs and destructive bugs.
Many rosarians diligently inspect their garden during JB season armed with a bucket of soapy water and knock them into it.
The best long term solution is to apply Beneficial Nematodes to your soil and in the fall apply Milky Spore virus. Neither of theses are harmful to humans, pets or other insects.

A Little Beetle Background:
The JB grubs over-winter in your soil. If you have ever dug in the spring I'm sure you've come cross grubs in your soil. They are fat tan worms, shaped somewhat like a cashew nut.

Milky Spore:
The best time to apply Milky Spore is in late summer, early fall, the grubs feed the most at that time in preparation of winter.

Milky Spore will remain in your soil as long as it isn't destroyed by chemicals.

Grubs that eat the Milky Spore and die release more Milky Spore into the soil as they decompose.

You should see an improvement next spring and even more the following year and so-on.

Beneficial Nematodes:
Nematodes are mixed with water then spray or sprinkle on the soil along garden, lawn or crop rows or around larger plants.
Nematodes are microscopic, non-segmented worms which occur naturally in soil all over the world. Thousands of strains exist with different life-styles. Beneficial ones attack soil dwelling insects and leave plants alone. These predators enter the host through body openings or by penetration of the body wall. Once inside, they release a bacterium which kills the host within 48 hours.

If you're going to spray or go after them with using the soapy water method, remember the beetles are lethargic in the morning and that is the best time to deal with them.

Good luck and happy gardening,
Dove