Japanese beetles

I have 20 vines in south east Wisconsin. The Japanese beetles are destroying my leaves. I have applies "sevin" 4 times already this year, so I only have one application left for the year. The bugs that are on the vines when I spray die, but more bugs keep coming back. It has seemed to slow down lately. Any help or suggestions on what to use that will keep the bugs away would be great! Thank you in advance.

Some years are just worse than others. The last two have been pretty bad, but this year there aren't a lot of them here. I have only sprayed for them once this year.

Are you waiting two weeks between sprays of Sevin? If not, extend as close as you can to give a longer period of protection. You will get some between sprays, but you don't need 100% control to be effective. The lowest number of sprays possible is better for everything and everyone.

LOL, we have Mike's hops planted beside our grape vines. The beetles love the hops and leave my grapes alone!

I'm in Northern Indiana, first year planting a...I live on 13 acres and you can put a shovel anywhere and get JB grubs, hate them!! I've given up on Seven, have small area like you 129 vines in 10 rows. I walk them a few times a day and crush them breeding by hand. Seems to be working and enjoyable walking thru rows anyway. They suck! But on my trips to Minocqua week at a time they do some damage!! Stay vigilant !

The JB favor certain plants over others. They like Marquette more than Concord. Also sweet cherry more than Asian pear. The Asian pear trees have no damage. But the sweet cherry trees have not grown much over the past 5 years.

I've put on 3 JB traps. I empty the bags every 3 days, more than half full each time. Hope the JB population will be reduced next year.

Due internet search on beneficial nematodes. This may give you a direction to head.

Milky spore will infect and reduce the grubs in the ground and a small dose of systemic imidacloprid will paralyze japanese beetles at first bite.

http://www.weekendgardener.net/blog/2011/07/organic-ways-of-controlling-japanese-beetles.htm

I have tried the homemade pesticide with the pureed delphinium. Seems to work until a good rain.


Jeremy

Flick them into a pail with soap water - they'll drown. The best solution is to spray your yard and the neighbor's yard in the fall and spring to kill the larvae.

I hate those Beatles!

There used to be a product called bag a bug, but have not seen in years. This drew bugs from your crop into a trap. Worked great.

I like to take a lighter and burn them while the are on the leaves. The smell of burnt Beatle is supposed to be a deterrent.

Be very careful where you place beetle traps. You are encouraging to the area.

Soapy water attacks their skeletal system and destroys it use dawn dishwashing liquid not antibacterial dish soap I usually brush them into soapy water then dump water with bugs on burn pile. Don't like the traps your attracting them to your yard if you have a large yard place it away from the plants your protecting. Put it out for a couple days every couple weeks
If you have a small yard give it to your neighbor Lol

On the other hand, leave them be, no need to trim leaves to ripen grapes. they do it for you.

They don't touch my Concords at all. Among my varieties, they favor Cabernet Sauvignon the most, then Leon Millot, then the Marquettes.

berrycrush said:

They don't touch my Concords at all. Among my varieties, they favor Cabernet Sauvignon the most, then Leon Millot, then the Marquettes.

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Are you sure those aren't New Jersey beetles, maybe even Popillia JohnT.

I have fifty plants and lots of beetles but don't like using chemicals unless I have to. Try milky spores. Then when the beetles are out I walk the vines with a small container of water and soap twice a day. They still get a couple leaves but I've noticed that my beetle population has been dropping.