Q: In you article two weeks ago, you said that you preferred hand-picking Japanese beetles and that we should never use traps. Well, I have too many beetles to hand-pick so what should I do?

A: You’re right – some gardeners have too many beetles to hand-pick. If that’s the case, you’ll have to use an insecticide on them. Carbaryl (Sevin, Bug-B-Gon) is very effective but it only lasts a few days. Most garden insecticide sprays stay on leaves and flowers for several days. If you like seeing an immediate effect on a beetle, insecticides containing permethrin and resmethrin act quickly.

Although it is impressive to see hundreds of beetles in a trap, I worry that many of them could be attracted to your property from surrounding yards. The lure used in the traps is powerful stuff. It can entice a beetle which is happily feeding on your neighbor’s rose right over to your rose bed. If used, place traps at the furthest corners of your yard so the Japanese beetles will fly away from your prized plants.

MORE INFORMATION:

Identifying White Grubs

Japanese Beetles