Well, I'm in eastern Iowa, Scott County, and they're bad here this year. I was watching for them and set out traps, catching hundreds, that's controversial but people here are resorting to them. 200 traps flew off the shelves at the Tru Value the other day, but I spotted and dispatched my first one 3 weeks ago tomorrow, set up 2 traps a couple days later, had to move them already. A lot don't aim well and miss the traps, and it does draw more in. Less than 20 today so far, been out 3 times now. None on my coneflowers yet (the yellow ones), just started one last fall, but roses all nearby and adjacent to it, lots of blooms, am watching almost everything low enough to see. One of their favorites, an Austin rose is right by the CF, so maybe they go for that instead. Some things they haven't bothered at all yet including a dark red rose that repeat blooms right along. I go out and drown in soapy water as well, hate to try the baby powder because I don't want to harm especially butterflies and also there is a Bayer insect and mite control people are using over on the long thread on the rose forum, spot spraying rather than pick or knock them off into soapy water. Saw my old mailman whose route changed while I was making my third round for today. He asked me about them. Said he came home one night and they had stripped every leaf off his new elm tree. Now since people have been caught off guard and we're about 3 weeks in now, they are likely to be many times more next year because people don't know how to deal with them, some didn't even know what they were, still don't. They don't just go for rose blooms, they have damaged the leaves on several bushes. Don't rule anything out with those things. If they get in big trees bad or huge swarms like some parts of the country, then it will be much worse. Some people use Sevin for vulnerable trees, don't know much about that and how often, etc. Lucky the people who only have a few. I know I never had a problem before I planted a lot of roses 2 years ago so they are the main attraction it seems.

The blue container line by Bayer works well. Check the ingredient list for imidacloprid. The also have a spray, but I prefer the tree and shrub drench - it is less messy and it last for up to a year. HOWEVER, WARNING - I have not tried it on my basjoo. It only gets a few nibbles occasionally. But I do use it on my hibiscus, crape myrtle and red maple. The old climbing rose and raspberries I leave for the beetles. After several years of using the drench, I find that the beetle population in my yard has dropped greatly. Of course, that could have something to do with the droughts we've had as well.

I have a 'Forest Pansy' redbud about 20 feet away from a Decumaria vine and a rose, both of which always attract Japanese beetles. The neighbor's crape myrtles are close as well, and they are magnets for the same bugs. I've never noticed any Japanese beetles on the 'Forest Pansy' at all.

The good news is the Jap beetles are almost done here in Madison, I've had plenty of them. Not sure about currants, never grown them. I sprayed my ferns and grapevines with Bonide 8 again this year, that does a great job. I hate using any insectacide. but that's the only option (I never eat the grapes anyway). I had a Birch tree in the front yard literally eaten alive by the beetles, had to cut it down last year. I hand pick them and drop em in soapy water on the rasperries, beans, asparagus, marigolds and morning glories. It's a constant battle (noon & night), but very satisfing! A good attractant plant is morning glories. Beetles are easy pickins from the large flat leaves at top plus MG seed is easily saved in fall for next years plants.