My mom gave me a JP trap this weekend. Although I havent seen any on my brussels the top portions of the plant have round holes chewed out of them. I found the JP on my potatoes and they turned my snap peas into lace, thank god the peas have all been harvested and the plants are at the end of their life. I dont know what kind of pole or stake to mount the trap onto. Can it go onto the chain link fence? Last week I sprayed Sevin right onto the JP and they didnt even bat an eyelash. Came back to check the potato plants and they were still on them, some of them were laying ontop of each other appearing to be enjoying themselves, having sex. Interestingly enough, the leaves of the potato plants dont seem to be getting lacey. I see them in the grass as I walk my dog around the property. This is the first year I've seen them. It must be their year to be here.

DH hired a lawn service this year and I came home one day to find a "pesticide in use" sign in my yard. Grrrr. I wasn't happy. I have no idea what they used. I do plan on applying GrubX since I don't know what they used, it will be an expensive proposition, that's for sure (40k sf of lawn). I think I will get the traps and place them far away from the gardens, I can easily place them 100-300 feet from my house and still be on my own property. Since I can put them so far from the gardens, between me and the neighbor, so you think they might work? I have no intention of emptying the bags, I'll have DH do it! Do you think the defoliated roses will make it? One is the white knock-out, one is a David Austin and the other is an heirloom climber. The pink Knockouts are the current meal, I'll start drowning the little buggers tomorrow. As much as I hate the JB's, I hate the lily leaf beatles even more (I have no lilies because of them).

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 think Laura is referring to the bags that come with Japanese beetle traps. The trap consists of a plastic bag attached to a holder that contains an attractant to the beetles. For whatever reason the beetles fall into the bag, and in short order the bag fills up with beetles. (the one i have is called "bag-a-bug", by Spectracide.) I accused our retriever of chewing on the bag, but it could have been raccoons. The decaying beetles certainly have a rank odor!