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The Japanese beetles have arrived and they are attacking just about everything in the garden.
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They are eating all the leaves and plants begin to struggle to survive.
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The beetle larvae are believed to have first entered the United States in a shipment of bulbs prior to 1912 when inspection of commodities began. They quickly spread throughout the continent where they have no natural predator. They feed on more than 300 species of plants including roses, grapes, hops, birch and linden trees. Their larvae will feed on the roots of grasses and other plants.
Adult Japanese beetles are roughly 1.5 cm (half an inch) in length. They have an iridescent, copper-coloured body and a green thorax and head. Males are slightly smaller than females. The larvae are white, curled grubs up to 2.5 cm in length.
Most of the Japanese beetle’s life span is spent in the grub stage and this is the best time to control their population.
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Once the grub emerges from the ground as an adult beetle, it lives about 30 to 45 days, spending its days feeding, mating and laying eggs. They use pheromones to attack other beetles and they can skeletonize plants, starting at the top.
There are several ways to control them. At this time of year, you can use a traps bated with pheromones to attract them. However, the pheromone can attract more beetles to the area, so put the trap downwind and far from your garden to lure the pests away.
Another method is to pick the beetles off plants and drown them into a bucket of soapy water. This is time-consuming and works best early in the morning when the beetles are not as active.
Another method is to use beneficial nematodes, tiny parasitic worms that feed on the larvae of insects living in the soil.
The best time to apply nematodes is in the fall. Many garden centers are taking pre-orders now. It is best to do this for a couple of years. You can apply both in the spring and fall.
Denise Hodgins is a professional gardening coach in London. Send your questions to Diggendirt@denisehodgins.com
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