The Japanese Beetle War, Part II

Okay, I've had it: The worst moment in the war against Japanese beetles was when I found two of them in my hair. That came after aggressively cleaning out landscape areas along our driveway. Or, possibly, when I was knocking the beetles out of our tall sunflowers. Gross!

After washing the bugs out and killing them, I'm almost out of patience in this "war." Lately, the beetles have increased their eating range; having started with the hibiscus tree and shrub on the Baker property, they now have attacked the new red Canna plant, the first-time-planted sunflowers, and the day lilies, especially yellow ones.

I've taken to stomping on the beetles in the driveway, thereby staving off back pain. Earlier methods were to repeatedly bend over to capture each beetle one-by-one, or to sweep the beetles into a plastic bag, close it tightly and bake it in the hot summer sun.

(It appears I'm acting like a dictator when killing off the hated bugs: Think heartless Idi Amin, or Josef Stalin versus Japanese beetles that attack beloved linden trees.)

When this war will be over is only a guess. According to Iowa State Extension Service insect experts, owners of linden trees should probably just live with the infestation as any way to reduce it is too harmful to pollinators. The mature trees do survive, they just don't have many green leaves.

The daily fight that has continued since mid-June is wearying. Hope in this corner is that we Scott County gardeners have about two more weeks left to go.

The current routine focuses on checking the affected plants a few times each day. Key times appear to be about 4 p.m. each afternoon, and, interestingly, 8 p.m. The later times are when several are caught on the canna, sunflower and day lilies. Beetles are spotted chewing on flower petals; they are popped into a plastic container of hot water and Dawn dish liquid. That container is kept nearby to facilitate the process. Gloves are included; these critters bite human skin too.

There is time to plan strategies for next year. First off, re-designing the annual garden to include geraniums, which the beetles dislike.  The canna plant is just beautiful and one thought is to re-locate it on another part of the property. That would make the canna harder to see, of course.

Do you have any insight in dealing with Japanese beetles in this "war?" Readers are welcome to weigh in, on the "comments" section.