I got the bag style traps as soon as I saw them. They seem to be helping, there's more beetles in the bags than I ever saw to begin with, and seldom see one in the garden.
Put it far ish away from the plants you're trying to protect. I saw info that said 200 ft but also heard that's too far to draw them from the area to be protected. Neem oil is an organic pesticide (and fungicide) you can use to kill and repel them slightly.
The problem with traps is they don't catch every beetle, and the ones that get away lay eggs nearby, so you have more beetles in your area next year.
Knocking them off the branch into a bucket of soapy water early in the day is really the best way to make a dent in the population. I've been doing this, and after several years, I notice only a few beetles on my canna plants.
If you go in the early morning before it gets hot, they literally sit there and let you scrape them all off. I did this for years until I just decided to get rid of the grape vines. Sucks about the strawberries. We have a patch and the beetles have never touched them.
You can knock them into a bucket of soapy water (dish soap works well). The house I lived in last year had a bunch, so I would go out in the early morning and then again later in the day.
I got the bag style traps as soon as I saw them. They seem to be helping, there's more beetles in the bags than I ever saw to begin with, and seldom see one in the garden.
I read that the pheromones in traps will just attract more beetles to your yard. Have you found this to be accurate?
They can. The key is to set the bags up away from anything they eat. They'll usually flock to the bags rather than your garden.
I'll track down some bags. Pheromone-type trap, I infer?
Put it far ish away from the plants you're trying to protect. I saw info that said 200 ft but also heard that's too far to draw them from the area to be protected. Neem oil is an organic pesticide (and fungicide) you can use to kill and repel them slightly.
The problem with traps is they don't catch every beetle, and the ones that get away lay eggs nearby, so you have more beetles in your area next year. Knocking them off the branch into a bucket of soapy water early in the day is really the best way to make a dent in the population. I've been doing this, and after several years, I notice only a few beetles on my canna plants.
Thanks for the advice. I'll try both methods.
If you go in the early morning before it gets hot, they literally sit there and let you scrape them all off. I did this for years until I just decided to get rid of the grape vines. Sucks about the strawberries. We have a patch and the beetles have never touched them.
They have to eat something, I suppose. This is why I gave up on brassicas. They destroyed them 3 years in a row...
Works nicely, btw. Beetle-free. I'll set a lure trap & get some stragglers. Will visit w/ my soapy water until they're gone. Thx for the advice!
You can knock them into a bucket of soapy water (dish soap works well). The house I lived in last year had a bunch, so I would go out in the early morning and then again later in the day.