Gee -- Just what no one needed!

Jeri

I object! Too close to Kansas, to say the least!
Go away, ugly beetles, go away!

Kate

I saw them here this past summer. As if the drought weren't bad enough, this too. Yuck! I tried killing a few with tweezers and putting them in the bird feeder for the birds to eat, which they did. Maybe they will consider them another food source.

Having a birdfeeder helps in my yard. I also noticed that the JBs were all over my basil plants. Contrary to what I have been told, basil sprouts quite readily from seed scattered and lightly covered, so maybe some basil, not to be eaten if you used any non-organic sprays, in among the roses might help? Basil is also alledged to deter mosquitoes.

Apparently some birds do eat Japanese Beetles.

Here is a link that might be useful: birds that eat Japenese Beetles

OK, so I am a novice gardner and early on this past summer I was out tinkering in my yard just putzing around. I started to pick the spent buds off of my rose of Sharon tree and all of a sudden I see like 7 weird shiny green bugs and they are all sitting on each other.

The whole thing caught me off guard and then when I realized that they could fly, I threw my arms up in the air and screamed bloody murder. As I was flipping out like a total weirdo, they flew away.

Embarrased by my ridiculous freak out, I went inside and quickly googled this and my worst fears came true.. Yes, Japanese beetles were just in my yard and even worse, they were trying to procreate.

All summer, I was ready for them to come back and devour on my newly planted roses. But those beetles never came back.

Not sure if it was a freak coincidence, but if I ever see them in my yard again, I am just going to scream at them.

DisplacedClevelander, maybe you are on to something.

Apparently there is a frequency that drives mosquitoes away. Maybe there is one for Japanese Beetles. (Someone should take a variable frequency generator and amplifier into the garden, or play "modern music".)

Here is a link that might be useful: mosquitoes and sound

On second thought, please do not try the"modern music", it will probably kill the roses.

Henry, who would have suspected you were such an amusing fellow! You must let loose that fellow more often--enjoyable! (grin)

Kate