If I had a sacrificial tree (Honey or Black Locust) that would be skeletonized by JBs, I'd use milky spore at the base. I do know that Oak Ridge was a test city for Milky Spore and it was given away free (and came in in 18 wheeler loads) and I know folks there still who never see JBs and they do grow roses. But their lots are small, shaded and well watered. One of the caveats is that severe drought can ruin the action of Milky Spore and there may be some temperature limits as well. We use traps. JBs come to us, drawn by the trap pheromones and they die. Were the traps not strong pheromone lures, the rose blooms would be strong pheromone lures. I'd rather have the JBs hitting the traps and dropping. And those, combined with three years of drought both when they were trying to emerge and then when they were trying to lay eggs, has knocked the populations back. I seldom see JB grubs (which are the smallish ones). Larger Beetles including several types of June Bugs are responsible for the larger and even uglier large grubs.

Courtney, Thanks for saying I am a wonderful teacher. Sometimes I really, really struggle with the best way to make a point without coming across as an overbearing organic wacko. (smiling and poking fun at self as I say that) The post in which I told you that chemical companies fund the very research that says their products are "most effective" was one of those times. I could tell you had really done your research and understood WHAT you read, but just wondered if you had thought about who was paying for that research? In many ways, the research system in this great nation of ours is evil....and not just with regards to the gardening world....how about in the pharmaceutical world as well? There is such a complicated financial relationship between the companies who MAKE/MARKET the products and the very researchers/agencies who evaluate their safety and effectiveness. I find it impossible to imagine university researchers and regulatory agencies are not influenced by the large multinational firms who market these products AND fund the research that studies these companies' own products. There is a superb book out that studies the complicated relationships that exist in the agricultural/horticultural world. It is called THE WAR ON BUGS and was written by Will Allen. It basically describes in great detail the vast ongoing collusion between the chemical firms, the university researchers who study their products AND the media. These three groups have combined to convince us all that commercial agriculture cannot "feed the world" without a heavy reliance on chemicals. I highly recommend this book. It is the best explanation of the complicated relationships/processes that I have ever seen. I linked info on The War On Bugs below. If you go to that link, read the review by Dr. Rob Williams near the end of that webpage. This is a book that everyone interested in horticulture and agriculture should read. And, how much of the chemical pesticide-related research is funded by the chemical manufacturers themselves? Research done in the 1990s found the chemical manufacturers and their industry lobbying groups were funding 66% of the research at that time, and it was increasing at a rate of about 3% a year. (As government cuts research funding, the manufacturers step in and fund more and more and more.) OK, I'll stop going on and on about the chemical manufacturers! I bought Milky Spore powder in a 40 oz. can and applied it over the 10,000 s.f. closest to the house, following label directions. When you have acreage (even 1 acre!), you just can't treat all of it, so I concentrate on the area closest to the house, yard, barn, garden, etc. If I had felt like I needed to do additional treatment, I probably would have treated a 10,000 s.f. area every year until I felt I'd covered all the area I wanted covered. Keep in mid that Milky Spore powder is a bacteria that should grow and spread on its own over time. Nolo Bait for grasshoppers works the same way--once you establish it on your land, you often have it forever after. I think I walked around with the cannister and sprinkled about 1 t. every 4 feet in a sort of checkerboard pattern. They also make milky spore powder dispensers or spreaders. I never try to treat a really large area because it costs too much to do so. I just treat what I can. Dawn

I've tried many different solutions for moles and only one has been effective for me - Victor's plunger style trap. I also tried their bear trap style unit but I never got a hit on it. If you follow a few simple steps on the plunger type it works very well. Find an active tunnel by stepping on portions of their network. If they "rebuild" that section within 24 hours, it's active. remove a 8" section of the tunnel roof. place a hard "speed bump" in this section - I've used a section of a cedar shingle or other scraps of wood, hardpack clay or anything that would cause the mole to go over the bump rather than throu or under it. You then replace the removed roof section. Set the plunger trap directly over the speed bump - making sure that the trigger is in contact with the tunnel roof. You want the slightest upward movement of the roof to trigger the plunger spikes. Cover the entire trap with a sturdy box, bucket or trash can (so pets and kids don't get near it). Check the traps early in the morning. If one has been triggered, immediately step on it shoving the spikes into or through the speed bump. Then dig around the spikes to remove the trap without bending the spikes or freeing the mole. Below is a link to this trap. You can find them at TSC, Northern Tool and probably at any home improvement store. My dogs had pretty severe medical issues that the vet suspects were a result of arsnic poisoning. The only source I could think of would be poisons related to the rodent/mole problems we had in my neighborhood (I seriously doubt someone intentionally poisoned them). No matter how bad your mole problem is, try to steer clear of the poisons as it just spreads it through the food chain. Here is a link that might be useful: Victor plunger style trap

I had been overrun with Jap Beetles for years. I did much of what you have to no avail. My vegetable garden harvest was poor. A couple of years ago at the advice of another gardener I removed the beetle traps from my property and began a spraying program using Sevin liquid. No more Jap problems. I spray at a lesser rate than what is recommended and keep them under control. I actually lost a Black Cherry to the Japs. I would like to be organic but I am realistic and like to eat.