Q: What’s become of the Japanese beetles? (Not that I miss them, mind you!) So far I’ve not seen any on our roses, magnolia blossoms, plum and cherry trees. Did I do something last year which interrupted their life cycle?

A: You didn’t do it, Nature did. Finally we see a benefit from the drought! Japanese beetle adults lay their eggs in lawns in July, and August. If the environment is conducive, larvae hatch out and slowly burrow into the soil. They become the white grubs you dig up when tilling the earth in spring. The extremely dry soil of last fall killed many eggs and larvae, leading to a much lower incidence of Japanese beetles this summer. Be thankful for small blessings!