Japanese Beetles Have Evolved?

Yes, I Think Japanese Beetles Have Evolved

So as the Summer progressed into some crazy heat, rain, cool, heat, more heat, rain, etc., the current waning El Nino has some last surprises for us. This is just a quick observation, from the last few weeks, of you all’s emails to me.

I have seen probably several hundred pics, cuttings in zip loc bags, descriptions, of “laced out leaves” on Roses and several other shrubs, over and over, with your explanations (and some expletives ), of how these plants were so healthy when you left on vacation. Now, the longest was about 10 days, the shortest, was 2. I heard about how you watered thoroughly, set a timer, had the neighbor, water, and yet, you came home to laced our plants, and not a sign of any insect. Some in only 2 days now..

So, I think these Japanese Beetles have evolved. I believe, and you can comment if you want, but I know, they know, when you are leaving. They watch you pack your vehicle, and the word goes out. The hoards are mating somewhere else, driven by the females, and they wait. When your vehicle is out of sight, the radar goes full, and they ascend on your property with a vengeance. Now, what kind of “thing” is so coordinated in an attack, that we succumb to their cunning ways?

I saw this last year first hand, as I was enlisted by one of my clients to water her gardens while she was in Maine for 3 weeks. First week, all OK.. Watered all in, pulled some weeds, and left. The next week she texted me and had been watching the weather, said their was a few storms that week, and I should wait until the following week to water again. OK, was a 30 mile round trip for me anyway, with 2 hours on her property. So the 3rd week, I went out, and couldn’t recognize the place. So I texted her about 15 pics, of the total destruction. So, are these infidels actually intercepting, texts?

I know it’s not a funny subject, but it is funny that this year, maybe because more are going on vacation, that maybe, we should recognize, time frames of the cycles of insects, before we plan our trips…. No Personal Garden Coach wants you to fail, and you don’t want to quit, we won’t let you. This is a cool link to get your Phenology butt in gear, things to watch for, to time your treatments. Just remember, the best timeto treat for Grubs, is Labor Day, and treat first, where the Japanese Beetles were the most destructive. That’s where the eggs are. Then spread outward from there. Don’t contaminate your “edibles” with any chemical. Treat around the beds, not in.

Look at them in the active state now if you have Japanese Beetles. Several “clumps’ of them. They are mating, and as that clump hits the ground, the Males crawl off and die, and she lays 7 eggs, over and over again. Then they hatch in September, move out towards your tender lawn roots, and there ya go, looks like fungus, but not!!

Anyway, have a safe vacation, get me a t shirt or a bumper sticker, since I’m not going anywhere this year.. Watching for the Beetles!!!