skip to main content

Japanese Beetles and Milky Spore Powder?

15 years ago

Have any of you with Japanese Beetles tried the Milky spore powder? Just curious if it works. It's at the very bottom of this list:

http://www.biconet.com/catalog/biocontrol.pdf

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

cecily
15 years ago
JBs are strong fliers. Milky Spore works but you need to get the entire neighborhood to use it.
karl_bapst_rosenut
15 years ago
If you use it the granual type is easier to apply. As cecily said, unless the entire neighborhood uses it, you'll not see much decline in their numbers but it will keep the beetle grubs killed in the treated areas. It takes a number of years before it's truly effective in a lawn.
Related Discussions
milky spore or beneficial nematode for Japanese beetles
Q
Comments (52)
Milky Spore Disease, "Bacillus popilleae" is a passive method of grub control because the spores do not seek out the grubs, the grubs must ingest the spores as they search for food. Since this is most effective when the grubs are newly hatched the time to apply the spores is just before they hatch in August, or apply the spores sometime in July to give the carrier time to move the spores into the soil where the grubs will be eating plant roots or other soil organic matter. Unless one were to either ingest or inhale fairly large quantities of the Milky Spore Disease there has not been found to be any detrimental affect on humans from this bacterium. However, at this time parasitic nematodes may be a better control since the grubs could well be beyond the growth stage that Milky Spore Disease will do them harm.
...See More
Milky Spore on Sale!
Q
Comments (2)
This is the 1st time I tried it, We had a "bumper crop" of Japanese Beetles last summer so I wanted to do something proactive, I didn't;t feel right butting the more aggressive chemicals in my yard especially since I plant to encourage birds. hummers , bees and butterflies. to answer your question I put down a spoon full of milky-spoor powder every 3 feet or so ( I followed directions on the can but I don;y exactly remember what I did) From what I understand, It takes a few years for milky spoor to build up for full potential. If a grub dies from it his decomposing body releases more milky spore into the soil. I learned about it on one of the the other forums on GW, Truthfully when I looked into applying it last year, the high price discouraged me, so I was happy to see it go on sale.
...See More
Grubs.........Milky Spore question...
Q
Comments (35)
OK. Personally, I would rather have no lawn, no roses AND no flowers than use things like Grubex and other grub killers, which are TERRIBLE for pets, birds animals & children, water quality and persist in the soil and migrate to others' lawns and air, giving people who don't want those poisons no choice just like second hand smoke except pesticides, much worse. Whoever asked about beneficial nemotodes, they won't survive if you've used Grub-Ex. Milky spore will survive that crap though. I was inundated by Japanese beetles about 4 years ago. First I treated with Milky Spore, next beneficial nematodes (timed it before 3 days of rain, they die if the dry, but they work quickly. I also set some preying mantis babies loose. Last year really only enough Japanese beetles that I could crush them with my fingers and this year nothing. Please, Plaase look at your lawn and love the dandelions and the clover and the natural lawn. Why are people so obsessed with working all summer to get a lawn that looks like a boring green rug. Grow some wildflowers. Love your children and your neighbors' health rather than your boring lawn. Do some research and look at labels before you buy weed killers and pesticides and don't believe the things that Tru-Green (formerly ChemLawn) tells you. The guys that come to treat your lawn have a few weeks training and their bosses are guys with high school educations brainwashed by chemical companies. Think about why you think it is so important to have the "perfect" lawn. Is it because your friends and family won't like you if it isn't perfect. What matters? Here is a link that might be useful: Poison in the Grass
...See More
When do I put down milky spore?
Q
Comments (1)
Milky spore should be applied in the late summer or fall. Success is soil type and pH dependant, and may take 2 to 5 years before you see a substantial change in the grub population (the average is 3 years). In the meantime, put away your traps, which attract more beetles into your yard. Beetle damage may not be indicitive of the grub problem you have. If you have more than your fair share of plants that JB love, or you are luring them into your yard, you will have all sorts of damage from the adults but may not have a grub infestation. Do a grub scout of a sunny portion of your lawn to determine the population. If your JB issue is from neighboring grub infestations, your application of milky spore is a waste of time and money.
...See More
cweathersby
15 years ago
From your name I would think that you are growing roses in Texas. As far as I know, the only counties that have JBs so far are two or three of most northeastern ones.
alisande
15 years ago
We used milky spore with great success quite a few years ago. As I recall, the JBs stayed away for 15 years.
stone_garden
15 years ago
I had a disgusting LARGE, LARGE infestation of big fat grubs in my townhouse garden, first year I moved in, so I treated with milky spore (at $25 a can!!!) This year and last year things have been MUCH better when I turn the soil over, I have only found a few smallish grubs.

Maybe it was last year's drought too, but I believe the treatment is helping things. I know new beetles can fly in, but I try to keep on the adults. I believe in the stuff - plus, unlike poisons, it hasn't seemed to affect my earthworm population. Don't regret using the stuff.
anntn6b
15 years ago
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.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Stachys Officinalis ‘Hummelo’

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

The adaptable ‘Hummelo’ betony adds jolts of color to a sunny border or woodland edge

GARDENING GUIDES What Kind of Roses Should You Grow?

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Want to add the beauty of roses to your garden? Find out which ones, from old-fashioned to modern, are right for you

WINTER GARDENING Pruning Secrets for Exquisite Roses

By Annie Thornton

Encourage gorgeous blooms year after year with this time-tested advice on how to prune your rosebush in winter for health and shape

Sponsored

More Discussions

Anyone get their plants from Grace Rose Farm yet?

226

Leap into Spring with Us - Seasonal Thread

695

What support for Lady Hillingdon?

9

Reminiscent Coral

5

Eden Balling After Rain

1