Why bother hybridizing a flower that I never see for
all of July and August. We’ve only had these Japanese
beetles for the past three years, but if this keeps up
there is no point in growing roses. The second a bud begins
to open it becomes a seething mass of beetles and is
devoured.
Some people tell me the infestation level should decrease
after 10 years. Can anyone who has had Japanese beetles
longer confirm this?
We have found using ‘Doom’ to be helpful in years past. The infestations are cyclic, so hopefully you may be looking for a down period for beetles soon. This commercial product does take awhile to become established and in order to adequately protect your area, you need to apply it to surrounding areas too.
I’ve ‘invented’ something I called a ‘Bug Bonnet’ and have used them with great success in protecting a flower that I was interested in. They are nylon mesh and fasten around the end of the cane to protect the bud/flower. They work very well. They are perfect for JP protection, but the mesh isn’t small enough to defeat Thrips, Mites or Midge.