Japanese beetles. A serious threat to the plants they prefer to feed on. I prefer to spray them with insecticidal soap, but you have to keep doing it.

There's a lure for them, but many people believe they actually attract more beetles than they destroy.

Yeah it is hatching time for all the grubs. You may want to consider treating your yard and soil with Milky Spore to eliminate the grubs if you have a serious infestation of them. If you kill the grubs then the damage done by the beetles is markedly reduced.

Organic control will be difficult once they hatch as most organic controls are directed at killing the grubs (Milky Spore and parasitic nematodes). After hatch we are left with row covers, scouting and hand picking them, Pyrethrin-based insecticides, and Neem Oil all of which are only marginally effective.

Google Japanese Beetles controls for all the details.

Dave

Ah crap. Not these SOB's already. Kill them by any means necessary. You can suck them up with a handheld vacuum if you've got one.

Rodney

Thanks for all the information, i am going to plan for Milky Spore and parasitic nematodes - most likely fall - right ?

Also for now will try neem oil spray.

I keep killing about 50 a day ... and seems like never ending - will it ever end - or should i just give up for this year and be better prepared for the next ?

Thanks so much.
Gmanar

The good news is that they only feed for about six weeks and then disappear from the garden. When I lived in NC where they were really bad, I let my favorite rose bloom, then trimmed it back and covered it with a tulle bonnet through Japanese beetle season. In late summer I uncovered it and rebloomed really well in the fall.

Killing 500 a day won't be enough once they've taken hold.

Fall for the Milky Spore and again in spring. Won't do any good against the generationn now hatched. Alas, it will only kill the grubs on your own property, and the grubs from your neighbors' property will still invade yours if you have attractive plants. The MS is usually used by people trying to stop grub damage to their lawns.

They are easily knocked off into a bucket with some water.
I know it's labor intensive but at least they are slow-moving.

If you have chickens...they love 'em. Kind of makes catching them worthwhile.

Thanks so much everyone. I think i need to persuade everyone on my street atleast to use milky spores. Atleast that would help me for next year. But i think this year is almost done and dusted for me ... damn them.

I will try to handpick but, there are so many ... and more keep coming.

They play dead and drop when you get near, so rather than trying to grab them, it will be easier to hold a bucket or jar of soapy water under them and knock them into it. you should be able to get 50 or 60 in about 5 minutes, and then keep going!

You can also hire neighborhood kids to drown them. When we were kids, that was a lucrative job in our neighborhood.

I'm having the same problem. I'm also in NC. I drop them in a bucket of soapy water just like elisa_Z5 suggests, and then I leave the bucket out next to the garden. I am probably just imagining this, but it seems to keep them away for a couple days.

-Anne