Non-Toxic insecticide spray for Japanese beetles

[Wired1979]

Compatriots,
I am looking for some advice.
I am in Iowa and the Japanese beetle invasion is terrible. The beetles are stripping the leaves of my fruit trees, grape vines, garden, etc to shreds. I am very concerned that I may lose some of these plants.
I have tried non-toxic alternatives with little to no success. Tried the beetle traps, neem oil, and kaolin clay with no luck.
I am seriously considering going to a spray on insecticide but am concerned my poultry will just come along and eat up the beetles as they drop to the ground and suffer from the insecticide.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Compatriots,
I am looking for some advice.
I am in Iowa and the Japanese beetle invasion is terrible. The beetles are stripping the leaves of my fruit trees, grape vines, garden, etc to shreds. I am very concerned that I may lose some of these plants.
I have tried non-toxic alternatives with little to no success. Tried the beetle traps, neem oil, and kaolin clay with no luck.
I am seriously considering going to a spray on insecticide but am concerned my poultry will just come along and eat up the beetles as they drop to the ground and suffer from the insecticide.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Have you tried 'permethrin'?

 

[centrarchid]

I was doing something what was essentially a trap crop where the pheromone lure was was placed down in some plants 18 to 24 inches tall. Chickens then consumed the beetles in a big way. Trap crop plants where dominated by ragweed. Beetles came off vegetation in area to land on trap crop plants where the stayed for extended periods of time.

Some better details in thread below although term trap crop not used in it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...etles-using-a-low-cost-bio-attractor.1258075/

 

[Wired1979]

Have you tried 'permethrin'?

I have not. Seems this breaks down in the sunlight and is highly toxic to bees.
Was hoping for a spray on kills quick solution that does not linger.

 

[Wired1979]

I was doing something what was essentially a trap crop where the pheromone lure was was placed down in some plants 18 to 24 inches tall. Chickens then consumed the beetles in a big way. Trap crop plants where dominated by ragweed. Beetles came off vegetation in area to land on trap crop plants where the stayed for extended periods of time.

Some better details in thread below although term trap crop not used in it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...etles-using-a-low-cost-bio-attractor.1258075/

Yes, been trapping them for years and the poultry love them. I can bag trap several pounds of beetles a day and still not stay ahead of them. We have them by the 10's of thousands here.

You would think that being surrounded on all sides with soybeans/corn for at least 1/2 mile and get sprayed every year the beetles would be dying off, but no suck luck.

 

[Chickassan]

Have you tried plain old dawn dish soap and water?

 

[centrarchid]

Yes, been trapping them for years and the poultry love them. I can bag trap several pounds of beetles a day and still not stay ahead of them. We have them by the 10's of thousands here.

You would think that being surrounded on all sides with soybeans/corn for at least 1/2 mile and get sprayed every year the beetles would be dying off, but no suck luck.

Beetles here come from much further than 1/2 mile away, usually from pasture areas from what I can guess. I can catch close to 20 lbs in just a couple hours. Link I gave was not for a trap; trap function very different than trap plants. My chickens can consume multiple pounds in a day when the flock numbers about 50 juveniles able to reach areas the beetles collect in.

 

[Folly's place]

Monoculture plantings and insecticides promote monocultures of insect pests too. And some years are worse for one pest than another, depending on weather, moon phases, or whatever.
If there are insect traps for Japanese beetles, use them, but away from places that you don't want to see them!
Any insecticide will kill them, and every other insect. It's really not possible to be selective, so trying to be CALM and avoiding insecticides where possible is best.
Most trees and shrubs will survive, although they will look pretty terrible this year. Have you talked to your local extension office, or university horticulture department, or the Master Gardener people? Inviting diversity in plantings and insect life does help over time to reduce this problem. Also planting ornamentals that are less attractive to those nasty bugs!
Mary