Definitely let us know how it goes. I've only seen one of the little buggers so far. Since I had very few last year, I am hoping that there are less grubs in the ground to come up this year.

Hello Carole - I bought some BBB also to use, so I'm interested in your results. My season doesn't start for a couple of weeks yet, and last year was the first year I had them show up here in Illinois.

Also, would you mind posting again and letting me know what the mix ratio is per gallon? Some of the liquid had seeped out into the bag during transit and ruined the directions.
Thanks so much!
-terry

I will definitely keep everyone posted as to my results. I had a kazillion beetles last year but I'm hoping that with the drought last year they had trouble getting back into the ground to reproduce. The clay around here can get pretty hard. I do have a golf course out back that they did keep watered so maybe my theory is flawed.

I'll post a link to the description on the OPHC site....it says there to use 4 oz per gallon of water.

Carole

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.organicplanthealthcare.com/product_detail.php?pid=ODEz

We don't have JP's here (and are we lucky!) but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that your experiment works. If something non-toxic will get rid of those monstrous things that would be so exciting.

Ingrid

Carole, it's Bill Patterson and Pat Henry, I know I get them mixed up too. But to your question, I've been growing roses since 1995 and I've never had a problem wih JB's, and I've had anywhere from 75-200 plants. This may sound like an old wive's tale, but it works for me. In January, I scratch in 1 cup of lime around each bush, and the winter rains disolve the lime down to where JB's lay there eggs, and where the larva over winter. I truly believe that the lime kills the larva, because I've never had a problem. Once in a blue moon I may get a stray that flies in from another yard, but in 13 years I've never killed, by hand, more than a dozen JB's. I know this June, but you may want to give it a try next Jan.
Ray

Ray, I don't know if I buy your "lime" theory because I used to live in an area where the underlying rock formation was " Niagara Dolomite Limestone", the stuff you grind up to make garden lime. I & other members of the local rose society had lots of JB's. Additionally I wouldn't recommend this treatment because you are going to do some real nasty things to your pH & major have nutrient uptake problems.

Sorry about mixing up Pat & Bill's names. Old age is hell.

As far as the beetles my big problem is that there is a golf course behind my house. Yards & yards of well watered grass.....that's why I've never attempted to use Milky Spore. I just can't afford to treat the fairway with it. So I'm not sure the lime would help me. My best chance is that Bye Bye Beetles keeps them away from my roses.

Carole

Ray, Japanese Beetles usually lay their eggs in the lawn, where the grubs will feed on grass roots. Very few, if any, eggs are laid in a rose bed. If you have a problem with the JB, treating the soil in your rose bed with lime would be pointless.

Carole

Maybe your neighbors down the street will put out the beetle traps and they will all go there when they find out they can't touch your roses. I used GrubX in just my yard and so far no beetles but my repeaters are just starting to bloom again so I know they are comming. I need to put my order in for Bye Bye Beetles before they show up.

Mike they also feed on your rose roots too.

Glad you posted this. I've been waiting for it to become available, kept checking Ashdown's website (which still says coming soon btw). Didn't think of checking the Organic site. So I ordered mine this morning. If it even only partially works, I will be so happy, since I don't even like to go outside in the summer due to JB's, it's just too depressing.

For what it is worth....it may be too soon to tell but there weren't any beetles out there just now.

You're right about the fact that even if it partially works I'd be satisfied. The swarms that I saw last year still break my heart.

Carole

The ground is so dry that the ones I've seen while digging are dead. I hope they are all dead.
Carole, this could be wonderful if it works.

Carla

After allowing my six hens to free range the yard, my JB population was signficantly lower last year. Coincidence? Correlative statements not necessary causal....
But just in case, there are now ten hens out there.
Of course, the down side is being careful where you step....

I think it's worth thinking about how to do in the grubs, instead of or along with attacking the beetles. I don't have Japanese beetles, but am plagued with two kinds of beetles that ruin my roses, particularly the light-colored ones, every spring. I've pretty much abandoned hope of ever getting a good flower of 'Bermuda's Anna Olivier' in May. I'm taking the passive approach of waiting for beetle and grub eaters to arrive. We have lots of birds to eat the beetles, though the supply seems to stay well ahead of the demand. What has raised my hopes this year is that something is rummaging around in the mulch on the garden beds, and I think the rummager is probably a hedgehog. I know we have them. They eat bugs. I'm no longer finding the awful grubs that lived in the mulch last fall (unless they've finished that cycle of their growth?), but something has definitely been foraging there, and over a long period. I think sunnysideuphill's idea of the chickens is a very good one.

All this muddled musing is just to say that 1) there are different approaches to attacking beetles, and 2) consider predators as well as insecticides, natural and not.

Melissa

I'm glad I found this thread. I posted these pics yesterday and had a couple of suggestions as to what was causing the damage on my Knock-Out Roses. My gut feeling is Japanese Beetle. I'm pretty new to all this. The only thing I've ever sprayed for was aphids on other plants. I just planted these 3 months ago. Didn't seem like I had all these pest problems up in Michigan. Anyway, do you agree it is the work of a Japanese Beetle? I've never seen anything on the bushes.

Assuming it is a Japanese Beetle, I've been looking on line for something safe to use on them. A neighbor recommended something like Triazicide, but I do not like all that chemical stuff. (I think he drowned his yard with it.) I'd like to get some of the Goodbye Beetle and have the link to the website, but seeing you are from SC, I was wondering if it is available anywhere locally so I can pick some up tomorrow? I'm in Charleston.

Or do these nasty critters just pack their bags and leave anytime soon on their own?

{{gwi:276460}}

{{gwi:276461}}

Hey Laura!

It does look like the Japanese Beetles have been dining on your roses. They usually arrive around the 1st of June (hence the nickname "June Bugs") and hang around for about six weeks. I hate them.

You moved from Michigan to Charleston? I'll bet you've found all sorts of new bugs and pests that you've never seen before! Bugs live very happily here in the South.

I do live in SC but up near Charlotte, NC. That's where I got my supply of Good Bye Beetles. The actual Organic Plant Healthcare store is in Matthews, NC and is about 20 minutes from where I work. I don't think that they sell this stuff any place but OPHC and Ashdown Roses as it is new on the market. But I do know that they will ship it to you. I'll post a link.

I sprayed GBB's last weekend for the first time and just got in from spraying it again. The directions state that you have to spray every 7 to 10 days. As I was spraying this evening I did see some beetles but not nearly as many as I have in previous years. They say this stuff acts as a deterrent and I'm thinking it just might be working. And it smells pretty good to me...like cedar.

Carole

Here is a link that might be useful: OPHC Website

How do I order from this site? I can't find any product prices or a way to place an order. Thanks!

:::How do I order from this site? I can't find any product prices or a way to place an order. Thanks! :::

Click on the above link and then click on the link for the Peter Beales All Natural Rose Care products. If that doesn't work give them a call.

Carole

I saw 2 yesterday. I squished 'em.

How's the experiment going?

I've been out of town and this morning found 12 JB's on my roses. I picked them off and slam dunked them onto the cement to meet the bottom of my shoe. I'm not sure if 12 is a heavy infestation, since I've never had them before. I'm ok with the slam dunking, but am ready to order the Bye Bye Beetle if it seems to be working for you.

12 is not heavy :), it is not an infestation at all. Heavy is 12 on each bud, and total number in thousands (or more like gallons you can collect every day)
Olga

Last year was not a bad year for beetles. At least not bad in my garden. I had a minimal infestation, of which I was very grateful. To control these pests I usually do one of either two things: spray each week with Bayer Insect Control or remove all buds off the roses for the autumn flush. So far this year I haven't seen one beetle, but it is still early so we shall see. If they do arrive I'm thinking about bud removal because frankly I'm tired of spraying insecticides.

Keep us posted on the cedar oil spray. I love the smell of cedar and a non-toxic alternative would be greatly appreciated by East coast rosarians.

molineux

The beetles where late ariving but they are in my yard. Not a bad as last year and I hope it is because I used GrubX a few time to treat my yard so I am hoping the ones showing up are from a neighbors yard. I just got my order of Bye Bye Beetles in and I will post my findings. What is great about this product is that it will not kill the bees.

still fairly light here (compared to some years) also I don't have a lot of blooms right now, so that could be the reason.

I've sprayed twice and while I am still seeing beetles there aren't nearly as many as last year. Now whether the decrease is due to the drought or the BBB's I don't know. But whatever it is I'll take it.

Carole

The JBs have arrived in south/central PA. I just ordered this stuff. I hope it works!

Barbara

I'm whispering this so as not to jinx myself, but there have hardly been any Little Nasties here at all so far! Maybe because last summer's drought was so bad and the ground hard as concrete, they couldn't get back into the soil to lay their eggs?

picking off 25-50 a day here....awful damage....

The dastardly JBs are here in a moderate crowd for now.

We've realized that having two big crepe myrtles hanging over the front beds makes a strong assault futile, because those JBs love the crepe myrtle blooms and can oh so conveniently drop down to the roses for dessert.

Lila

First sighting today. On one asian lily I saw 3 close together on the leaves, wasn't sure if they were mating or what. Tried to brush them into soapy water, but they got away. Found one on my new (2nd yr) cherry tree. Have drowned about 4 today. That must be what stripped one quite a bit last year, didn't think to check them. Don't remember their ever bothering the cherry trees I had for 30 years. There must be more out there. Ugh.

I think this is supposed to last for 6 weeks here.

Before I planted these roses, I never heard of them or saw any before.

aliska, the roses could have drawn them in. But they do go after cherry trees and other crops.

I've seen damage like that when I've been out but never in my yard.

The roses probably attracted them like you said. The ext guy said I could cut off all the buds until it is over, but they might do something worse to my cherry trees or find something else.

So I have been reading this thread with interest, had hoped Bayer would be the answer until I read that thread about what it can do to your soil. On another thread a helpful person suggested spreading milky spore earlier in the season then try to eliminate by whichever method in a 2-pronged attack.

They showed up here in Central Illinois on Thursday. I sprayed Bye Bye Beetles with no success whatsover; they were back on the roses the very next morning. So I'm back to picking them off and drowning.

I did notice this year that they are now congregating on my clematis; they didn't do that last year. Another area to pick JBs......yuck!

I happened to have a 32-gallon can of alfalfa tea brewing close by and I plunked a few JBs and threw them in. DH commented that was a cruel and unusual capital punishment. Whatever works!

I have to hold the water w/soap close under where I try to flip them in, less likely to get away unless I throw them on the sidewalk suddenly and stomp on them. I don't enjoy drowning them, try not to look. They kind of gross me out more than most bugs for some reason. Nothing today but have to make another round right now. Pause.

This year I have to do the front and back yard, more planting and roses. Today has been cool, mostly overcast and windy, but just found one deep in a Charlotte bloom in front. Last year one on my clematis, one on my potted plumbago, one on a petunia and a few on the other roses, one particular pink one. Most on Charlotte. I think it was not a bad year considering what some people are saying but still a royal pain as if there isn't enough else to do.

I'll let my 2 Charlottes in the sunniest spot in front keep blooming because that is where I've had the most, that might attract them, I can find them more easily, and may keep them off something else. It is likely to get worse especially when it gets hot.

I would set one of those nasty traps if I really believed they were effective, might just draw more in.

Definitely more of them today (see, I jinxed myself) but still very slow compared to this time last year. Aliska, have you tried getting them into their nice sudsy pool around sunset? Mine slow down by then and are snuggled down with their significant other of the moment deep into the petals. Shake 'em both out when they're sleeping and you get double points. );-) (They also like hollyhock blooms...)

No, I will delay one of my checks until then, thank you. Don't have hollyhocks, loved them as a kid but they get ratty here as summer wears on.

I will try shaking them out, but usually nudge them out with my finger, they are taken by surprise and gravity, they don't get away as easily for some reason, you can't count on anything with those yucky things.

I wondered if that was what those brown woodpeckers that were here in enormous numbers for awhile were doing, they are pecking something out of the lawns. No, only predator I've read about are those orange icky bugs on another thread.

Does GBB harm butterflies? I want something that gets rid of beetles, but is not harmful to the butterflies.