I've tried the cedar oil. I got mine thru Ashdown Roses when they were open. I was very about following directions to the letter. Can't remember what strength was recommended as this was years ago. All I can say is be careful if you use it. That was the worst leaf burn I had ever had. I don't recall it did any good with the beetles. I think not because nothing has ever helped.

I have heard others say they had leaf burn from cedar oil, too. I wonder if keeping a cloth with cedar oil on it in an open container near the roses would be a deterrent. They are evil!

Do single blooming roses avoid the invasion or bloom in the midst of it?

All roses attract JBs. In my area, the beetles are present in high numbers for about six weeks, so one flush of my roses is damaged.

Once bloomers tend to bloom before the JBs arrive.

I've used Neem Oil, Bayer 3-in-1 insect control, and Bonide. Don't waste your money on any of those.

Beetle Traps.

Or every female beetle will lay at least twenty eggs for next year. When you do nothing to stop their reproducing, they win.

Sad to say we have many more than the last few years. They certainly do not have good navigating skills as they slam off of me all day.

I do soapy water morning, noon and night. Right now I'm after the very large green June beetle. They don't do much plant damage. They do immense root damage as their grubs are 3 inches long and 1/2 inch or better thick.

I've been told that JB's LOVE the annual Four O'Clocks and that they are POISONED by them. Has anyone grown them? I wonder if they prefer them to the taste of roses?

Linda

A neighbor had four o'clocks and grapes. JBs skeletonized his grapes

So far I've seen less than two dozen JBs. A lot more oriental beetles, but they aren't as destructive as JBs. I find that if a JB escapes, it will normally return to the same flower within a few hours, so very few JBs survive my efforts to eradicate them.

My neighbor has strawberry plants. For about three weeks the JBs where all over them. Certainly made me happy. They were so easy to catch on the slippery leaves as they would slide to the bottom center of the leaf. Just had to hold my hand there and they fell right in. They're back to the roses again. Fun while it lasted thou.

Thought I'd treat ya all to a photo of the green June beetle. Thou I certain many of you see them in summer.

yeah, the "June bugs" love my figs, swarming them just as they get ripe :P Surprisingly, the Japanese beetles barely seem to notice the figs. My roses, on the other hand, are a beetle buffet...

John

Theres always something isn't there. In my case I'm happy these things do not bother me much any more. On the other hand why can't those dang blasted beetles go eat something else.

I think we are finally over beetlefest 2016. I have only drowned one this week, and one of their "favorite" roses is loaded with open blooms yet is beetle free. Hallelujah! My heart goes out to those of you still doing beetle battle!

Those horrid things are ruining my roses and skeletonizing my grapes. Extremely frustrating!!! I wear garden gloves and catch/squish them 2x/day. I was away for 3 days and they did a lot of damage. I tried the trap for a couple of years, just brought in more. So I gave up my lilies due to lily beetles and now my roses are at risk. If anyone can find a solution, I would be SO happy!

The soapy dunk is the only one I can afford. Right now as I type I can hear the horrid things slamming off the windows. How can such horrible navigators do such a great job of finding the plants that they love to decimate.

My JB season is winding down. I actually saw a few roses today that haven't been touched. I'll wait until this weekend to go out and start cleaning things up.

Great to hear some of your JB seasons are wrapping up. It seems mine is just beginning. I thought I was skipping it this year. But I just started finding them. So far it's not too bad though, so fingers crossed!

Here in SE Virginia near the coast they're winding down too. Many fewer this year and I think I know why--last year there were two people on my block who put out traps, bringing beetles in from all over. They have both moved away, yay!

Just this year I read that damaged flowers attract the beetles, so I am removing damaged blooms in addition to collecting the beetles. The same article said that squishing the beetles releases pheromones which attract other beetles, so I simply drown them and then empty the jar a bit later.

The state university website kinda pooh-poohed the milky spore treatment, but I treated this house and so did my neighbors on either side. It really seemed to help,

Barbara,

Regardless of your neighbor's traps, your roses do the same thing. Traps have two lures: pheromones and rose scent. Rose scent is self evident. Pheromones are JBs' way of attracting mates, and each rose that has had a JB on it....also has the pheromones....and they attract JBs.

The "many fewer this year" might just because your now departed neighbors trapped them last year and interrupted the darned-close-to-exponential breeding last year.

Could you maybe consider traps? If they hit the traps before they get to your roses, for each beetle, there will be 20-40 fewer beetles next year.

With the milky spore, make sure the ground doesn't dry out. Oak Ridge TN was a test locality for Milky Spore several decades ago, and there are parts of town there that have no JBs.

Pheromone traps were an ENORMOUS HELP to me in my beetle-battle, though the ones I combat are not JBs; they are the native (to Italy) Oxythyrea funesta and Cetonia aurata. I've been trapping for about 4-5 years now. In the beginning, the situation was so awful that I wondered if it was even worthwhile to continue trying to grow roses,but by now,the situation is so much under control that I ask myself if I should still even bother putting out the traps and buying the bait(expensive, since it has to come from Hungary, so the shipping plus tax is very high)

I agree with Ann; if you already have them infesting your garden badly, it's not like the traps can worsen the situation,since the beetles you have actually on the plants just by themselves attract other beetles. The traps interrupt the cycle. It DOES take a few years to see the difference,however.; patience and fortitude are a must. Never squish beetles; it releases the smell that attracts their comrades.

Thank you for the advice re not squishing them - it makes sense. I have had some satisfaction just nailing them, but drowning in soapy water is ok too. I have this empty peanut butter jar I can use. I have to say, I did the trap thing for three years and every beetle in the neighbourhood came to check out the 'action' (and my roses). This is the first year I didn't do it. They are horrid, but maybe a bit less than last year. Is it because of less smell or fewer beetles? Dunno. I do like the idea of trapping on a cooperative neighbour's yard. Have to see about that. I use nematodes to kill the larvae yearly, but again, can't do all the neighbours. The person with the suggestion of picking the roses - good common sense. I can't enjoy them outdoors as they are destroyed, so bring 'em in. Nice. Thanks. I live in southwestern Ontario and we are in full swing here. Hateful things.

If anyone has an effective solution let me know too. I am getting too tired to get up early morning to knock them off into buckets of soapy water. They have completely skeletonized 5 of my rose bushes, ate all my rose buds and flowers, and as if that's not enough flew right into my face or got tangled in my hair. They are everywhere. All they do is eat, eat, eat , make out, and lay eggs. So sick of them!

Dianetg

If you or someone you know drinks automatic drip coffee. The plastic containers are the perfect size. They are wide enough to get most of the beetles to drop into. You only need an inch or two of water. So it's not heavy to carry and a few drops of soap.

Old cool whip containers work well also.

I haven’t had any JBs yet but if I get them I’m going to get a 6 foot length of 2 inch PVC pipe and connect my shop vac to it. Then all I have to do is walk around sucking those little guys up….. May lose a few flowers in the process but I won’t have to hand pick them….

Toolbelt - LOVE IT! These things certainly bring the nasty out in us! Still squishing some because I want to nab them right away, afraid I'll miss even one getting the coolwhip and soapy water. And Patty, you are right, that is the best size. You'd figure with all of our collective smarts and motivation, we'd come up with something permanent.

Harryshoe, on here had a great one. Scroll down to see the pics.Japanese beetles, an idea

Yup, with that nice nutty flavour and crunch. AAAAAGH! I'm not sure using the bait, however, because I fear drawing more in.

I do the soapy water, too. Sometimes there are so many in the cup that they begin to climb out. Probably about 2 more weeks of damage.

Hi all. I'm in 6b, central Ky. This year there was a bumper crop of Japanese beetles. Writhing, pulsating, iridescent masses of them on buds. It was disgusting. I try to garden organically, but declared chemical warfare on these demonic insects. I read on a forum about a spray that was a quite effective repellant called Demand CS. Got it, and sprayed following the directions. The next day there were only four JPs remaining on 65 bushes. Following day, none. Demand CS will kill the monsters, but not instantly. You may see some lethargic, sick ones around, but they are too ill to eat. The repellent effect lasts five or six days. Thrips disappeared too. Hope this will help someone next year.

See:

http://www.bluepenjournals.org/ijaar/pdf/2016/August/Oshoke_et_al.pdf

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161813X16301206

http://www.scientific-publications.net/get/1000010/1432396644360579.pdf

http://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/zology/PDF-FILES/17-Teratogenic%20potential%20of%20pyrethroids%20a%20review_V31_1_2016.pdf

In last link presented:

"IV. Lambda- cyhalothrin .........................................................................................................................

Mammals

It is quite terrifying of finding that even
dermal exposure of female rats with very low
doses (0.018% and 0.02% (w/v)) throughout
pregnancy delayed the age of testicle descent,
development of fur, ear and eye openings
(Gomes et al., 1991). In addition to this, preconceiving
exposure of female rats to 8µg/g of
(the drug) BW for 30 days led to a marked
reduction and increase in thyroid and thyroid
stimulating hormone levels in pups respectively,
which was ultimately reflected in growth and
development of the offspring (Tukhtaev et al.,
2012)"

http://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/infoservices/pesticidesandyou/Winter%2005-06/pesticide%20poisoning.pdf

I encourage wary of spraying any Class 3 insecticide to peruse the studies referenced above. One references accidental large-volume exposure to one person by a pest company. Henry's relate to intentional exposure to rats, etc.. One in particular to rats throughout pregnancy. Of course there was toxic injury. This is NOT the exposure an intelligent person applying this pyrethroid according to label instructions with required protections would receive.

Demand CS is labeled for inside use also.

Read ad and follow label directions and decide for yourself,. Geez, did I really have to say that?

Luckily only had 3 Japanese Beetles this year... One on "Easy Does it" and two on "Thomas Affleck" they all met a soapy death before they could call in there buddies... :-)

The following was stated: "Read ad and follow label directions and decide for yourself,. Geez, did I really have to say that?"

H. Kuska comment:
Labels are based on what science was available at the time the product label was approved.

My recommendation for homeowner use of The Precautionary Principle is to look at the science SINCE the product was approved, and if there is serious evidence of new possible problems, I suggest not using the chemical.

http://www.calepa.ca.gov/EnvJustice/Documents/2003/Appendices/AppendixI.pdf

----------------------------------------------------------------------

This is another example of recent scientific research.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Meirong_Zhao/publication/247981637_ESTROGENIC_ACTIVITY_OF_LAMBDA-CYHALOTHRIN_IN_THE_MCF7_HUMAN_BREAST_CARCINOMA_CELL_LINE/links/55e4993308aede0b57357a62.pdf

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Endrocrine Disruptors is the general term for hormone related behavior.

PAN, a "one-stop location for toxicity and regulatory information for pesticides" states: Endocrine disruptor - suspected.

http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Product.jsp?REG_NR=00010001066&DIST_NR=000100

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is a recent Canadian summary of the general pyrethroids class:

https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Pyrethoids-Bckgd-ENG-2016.pdf

Same here in S.C. Jim, I only saw a handful of Jap beetles. It has been a very hot summer here I wonder if it was due to the high temps? Best year for me since I started growing roses!

I saw something on Maine U. website about using a hand-held car vac to suck them in - that kids like doing that. But not using the vac for other things after. Only challenge is the ones that tuck themselves inside the rose bloom and eat it inside out. They seem to be slowing down a little here in SW Ontario. Now I have bought my trusty nematodes to kill all their horrid little grubs, on my property at least. It was a hot summer here, too, but I suspect a South Carolina hot summer is much different than an Ontario hot summer.

I really feel sorry for all of you. Like Dianejtg, I just finished pulling out my lillies. The horrible lily beetles are relentless. Such a shame, because lilies are gorgeous. :(

I think the shop vac idea is a great one!! Japanese Beetles have natural enemies in Japan, has anyone ever thought of getting their scent into a spray?? I gave up on my lilies, but if it were my roses being decimated, I'd be fighting the fight like all of you. Good luck!!

Carol

Use bird houses to attract starlings.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19350905&id=to9RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JGkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2816,370912&hl=en

Yup. Lots of starlings and grackles around my property. And they don't even LOOK at the Japanese beetles, the traitors. I read in one of these forums that ducks love to eat them....but they are a little close to the ground and one must have housing for them.

So I'm still fighting the JB's I guess they are later in the season in the north. I do the hand picking thing with soapy water. I have the traps for the 1st time this year, they are not working that well. Some go in, but some prefer the roses. So anyways, I had the idea of using my disgusting JB rotting carcass water from my container picking. You know how if you leave a jar of JB's sitting in the water in the hot sun for a day or two! Well it stinks something awful. So for an experiment I spread some of the JB juice on a rose (St. Patrick) that they really like yesterday. There has not been another JB on it today so far. I will continue trying this & post my results later. I don't know if others have tried this; I had not seen anything before on the forums. But it's definitely going to cover up the fragrance of the rose & their pheromones! I refuse to use the sprays & chemicals out of the fact they kill all insects: good & bad.

Wow!! Sounds like a great idea! Hope it continues to work!!

Carol

You know, there may well be something to this. I grow mostly David Austin roses for their fragrance and it is the more scented of those that get nailed the most. Some of my other scented roses don't get it as bad, but they have more of the tea scent as opposed to the musk scent. Mind you, I have a completely unscented pink rose that they decimate and what about the grape leaves? They aren't scented. AUGH! I don't know.

Well I just thought I would try something different. This was just to keep them off of one or two roses which were setting up for a great flush. They will always find something to eat. Here they have also been eating a lot of my service berry leaves, Siberian crabapple & my city street tree, which is a linden. Good luck spreading JB carcass water on larger trees & shrubs, haha! I don't give one iota for fragrance in roses, I go for the appearance & hardiness. But I have found they are selective with the roses. They don't bother with Julia Child (weird cause it's yellow) or Benjamin Britten but a Bull's Eye planted between the two had JB's on it.

Someone else mentioned that they liked 4 o'clocks & it poisons them. I don't know about the poison part but they definitely like to eat them. They went after my yellow ones only though.

Anyways, the JB juice may be a solution for those few roses that get hit hard in my garden. It seems that there are less of them this week, than last. So if nothing further, I will try again next year during the peak times.

Very interesting! They will occasionally go after my Julia Childs rose, but prefer the others also. Hmmmmm.

I think there is definitely a fragrance connection. At the height of my JB season, I disbudded my super fragrant roses. The JBs then went after my magnolia blossoms (very fragrant) before they went after the non fragrant roses.

I am rarely grossed out by anything, butJBs are disgusting. Shaking them into soapy water was icky. The way they cluster on a flower - - EWWW

"A very important point, in northern Ohio, is that the Japanese Beetles ignore it! Illusion occupies the premier location in my front yard - it surrounds the lamp post."

http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.3368&tab=32