Damn Japanese beetles are invading my Hopsyard!

[Homercidal]

Normally I don't do much with my hops. They just grow. The Cascades are like weeds, the others don't do quite as well, but I'm not a gardener, so beyond watering sometimes I let nature take it's course.

But this weekend I see some HOLY leaves on my plants! It's Pearl Harbor all over again as the friggin Japanese Beetles have invaded my hops!

I've read a bit this morning and it doesn't seem like there is an easy way to deal with them. I *think* at this point I'm going to try hand-picking them, maybe spray the plants with soap.

I'm not opposed to using insecticides, but I'm not using them on stuff we eat or brew with.

Maybe this is a bad year for the beetles?

 

[j1n]

Try nuking them. lol

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Try nuking them. lol

You know you have to embargo their oil and rubber imports first.

The below I've heard from multiple garderners works to keep Japanese beetles away.

1.Fill a bucket about half full of water.
2.Add a quarter of a cup of dish soap. (The amount of soap isn't that critical as long as it's present.)
3.Snag beetles with you gloved hands and place them in the bucket. If touching them doesn't appeal to you, you can knock them into the bucket by giving the branch they're on a quick shake. This could take some practice.
4.Leave the beetles in the bucket. They'll die and begin decomposing. The smell will deter other beetles, and the presence of soap will discourage or kill mosquitoes. (The bucket will only smell nasty to beetles.)
5.Set the bucket in an area where you've had bad infestations before, or select a spot that gets good airflow.

 

[Homercidal]

Try nuking them. lol

You are bad.

 

[Homercidal]

I've read that they come from grubs. I might try something for the yard that doesn't hurt the beneficial ground bugs, if I can find out what that is!

But that doesn't help this season.

I'll be doing the dish soap thing if I can.

 

[fosaisu]

As a heads-up, the term "Japs" is often considered to be an ethnic/racial slur.

 

[Homercidal]

As a heads-up, the term "Japs" is often considered to be an ethnic/racial slur.

Well I had no idea. It certainly wasn't meant to be insulting, just trying to give the thread a tone as if I were declaring war on those beetles.

I shall amend the title and I apologize if I inadvertently offended anyone. I find that article interesting, if a bit short on content.

 

[fosaisu]

Well I had no idea. It certainly wasn't meant to be insulting, just trying to give the thread a tone as if I were declaring war on those beetles.

I shall amend the title and I apologize if I inadvertently offended anyone. I find that article interesting, if a bit short on content.

I think there are understandable reasons that "Jap" is less well recognized in the US as a slur than some other terms (not least because on its face it looks like a simple abbreviation of "Japanese"). I've heard people use it without any ill intent a number of times, but have also seen a Japanese-American friend of mine take offense at its casual use. So I didn't mean to accuse you of anything, but thought I'd point it out.

 

[thekraken]

Maybe some DE will get rid of em?

 

[BigFloppy]

Jap's might be more prevalent in South Florida - the ubiquitous "Jewish American Princess"

You could ask them to do the dishes for you, that'll discourage them

 

[SnakeRidge]

Maybe some DE will get rid of em?

Dwight Eisenhower is best deployed against German and Italian Beetles.

 

[Pappers_]

@Homercidal The very best way is to handpick the Japanese Beetles off and then crush them. You can get a Japanese Beetle trap that you put out in your yard, at some distance from the crop you are protecting - it attracts the beetles there and then traps them. With our gardens, we got hundreds and hundreds of them in the trap. Available at your local nursery.

I've also sprayed the leaves with an organic spray that has some combination of soap and hot pepper, which seemed to discourage aphids and other bugs. Good luck, man!

 

[sfish]

I only have 5 plants. I have been fighting these guys for a while. I have 2 traps upwind which do work. I also check the plants and crush them when I can. I also bought chemical insecticide, I have other bushes in the yard they are also eatiing and spray the bastards often.

 

[The_Bishop]

I use a combination of beetle traps and spraying the hops with Neem oil about once a week. I haven't been doing that lately, as I've got cones forming and don't want to taint them.

I *hate* japanese beetles.

 

[bbohanon]

Nematodes work wonders on lawns with beetles/grub problems and are environmentally safe. They are also good at eating up damn near anything else living in your soil that could be bad (fleas, etc.).

Quick and dirty is Scotts GrubEx if you want to "nuke" em for next year and you have no issues using pesticides.

The soapy dishwater/dead bug method works well for those who are airborne today. You dont need a very large bucket..A large bowl will work to be honest. They don't like hanging around soapy water bowls filled with the rotting/floating carcasses of their buddies. I can attest to this as it works with our tomato plants.

 

[The_Bishop]

Yeah, I'm planning a nematode treatment in a day or two.

 

[Homercidal]

Thanks, guys! I didn't remember to go out last night. I'll be checking out that trap. I think it might work to set it up near some wild grape vines away from the hops. Soap is fine for the hops, but as I say, insecticides aren't going on the edible plants at my house. I don't mind treating the lawn, though. I'm sure getting rid of the grubs will also help prevent moles. We might have fleas in the lawn as well, since we have hunting cats and we have to treat the animals all summer to keep them from bringing fleas back from their hunting excursions. This weekend we found 4 mice on the back patio. I think we feed them too much...

 

[imasickboy]

I have a serious Japanese beetle problem on my green beans, but not my hops, which are roughly 15 feet away. Weird.

 

[thekraken]

Soap is fine for the hops, but as I say, insecticides aren't going on the edible plants at my house.

I've read that diatomaceous earth is supposed to be perfectly safe and organic 'insecticide'.

 

[Homercidal]

I have a serious Japanese beetle problem on my green beans, but not my hops, which are roughly 15 feet away. Weird.

I have read that they prefer some things over others. They have been observed completely ignoring some things and congregating on other plants right next to some that would be destroyed by them in someone else's yard.

I'll have to read up on DE. I thought I read it was not good for you, or had special application warnings, but it's been a long time since I've read about it. I thought it was more of a filtering substance...

 

[thekraken]

I'll have to read up on DE. I thought I read it was not good for you, or had special application warnings, but it's been a long time since I've read about it. I thought it was more of a filtering substance...

I dunno. For what it's worth these goofy people eat it almost straight up: http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2014/01/diatomaceous-earth-homestead.html

 

[B-Hoppy]

From back in the lawn care days, it's best to know the life cycle of what you're trying to control as at certain points they tend to be more susceptible and that's when you achieve your best control: https://www.google.com/search?q=jap...oTCOfFh_um_sYCFYbSgAodhrEEtA&biw=1594&bih=863

Most white grubs are easiest to control when they're really young (much less insecticide required) and this point is right after the eggs begin to hatch. Those baby grubs are REALLY active at this point and are eating everything in sight, so are much more likely to come in contact with any insecticide in the vicinity. Milky spore will work but it can take a few years to provide good control. I haven't kept up to date with things like the nematodes but am sure they'll work.

You also mentioned that if you get rid of the grubs you'll also get rid of your moles. I've been on hundreds (more like thousands) of lawns while working in the industry and haven't seen a correlation. Sure, they'll eat grubs but as far as I know, their biggest food source is earthworms. I've seen a few studies concerning this but can't recall the source.

Hope you find something that works out for you!

 

[Homercidal]

From back in the lawn care days, it's best to know the life cycle of what you're trying to control as at certain points they tend to be more susceptible and that's when you achieve your best control: https://www.google.com/search?q=jap...oTCOfFh_um_sYCFYbSgAodhrEEtA&biw=1594&bih=863

Most white grubs are easiest to control when they're really young (much less insecticide required) and this point is right after the eggs begin to hatch. Those baby grubs are REALLY active at this point and are eating everything in sight, so are much more likely to come in contact with any insecticide in the vicinity. Milky spore will work but it can take a few years to provide good control. I haven't kept up to date with things like the nematodes but am sure they'll work.

You also mentioned that if you get rid of the grubs you'll also get rid of your moles. I've been on hundreds (more like thousands) of lawns while working in the industry and haven't seen a correlation. Sure, they'll eat grubs but as far as I know, their biggest food source is earthworms. I've seen a few studies concerning this but can't recall the source.

Hope you find something that works out for you!

Good point about the worms. Oh well, I guess I won't worry too much about the moles. We hadn't had moles in our yard for MANY years and then suddenly one year we had a TON of hills popping up.

I got a spike trap like my grandpa had in his lawn, but so far it hasn't worked at all that I know of. I don't think I ever heard of his working either.