Supplemental Feeding of Japanese Beetles Using a Low-cost Bio-attractor

[OhZark Biddies]

By the way, when I said the beetles have been much fewer "here" this year... I meant here at my property, not "here" being an hour south of Jeff City.

As I mentioned some folks I've talked too around this area have been saying the beetles are as bad as last year... that is not what I'm observing on my place, and I think that is because they are using lure traps and I am not.

 

[centrarchid]

By the way, when I said the beetles have been much fewer "here" this year... I meant here at my property, not "here" being an hour south of Jeff City.

As I mentioned some folks I've talked too around this area have been saying the beetles are as bad as last year... that is not what I'm observing on my place, and I think that is because they are using lure traps and I am not.

Beetles are not bad on my personal property where chickens are kept. Grapes, apple trees and rose bushes are barely touched. When I put lures out beetles beging streaming in from off property within minutes. Most appear to be in the upper 2/3's of trees everywhere.

Most of the beetles of interest to me are otherwise not even landing on property I control unless lures are used. This flow of life you need to see to believe, or maybe just look to see.

 

[centrarchid]

Beetle abundance is dropping off fast and cold snap is not helping. I am will be stopping collection efforts shortly. What is really cool is the chicken feces collected below the elevated pens. Next year I will be setting up to take advantage of the bounty to supplement use of the expensive feeds used for chicks and juveniles. Next year I will begin culling flock back for freezer camp when the beetle abundance drops off. Lures will also be put out about two weeks earlier than done this year.

 

[aart]

What is really cool is the chicken feces collected below the elevated pens.

Please elaborate.

 

[centrarchid]

Please elaborate.

Next year! I want a little more control over fecal collection, in part to satisfy requirements of my wife.

 

[aart]

Next year! I want a little more control over fecal collection, in part to satisfy requirements of my wife.

But why...why is it "really cool"??
Iis there value there worth harvesting or just a sanitation issue??

 

[centrarchid]

Value! Just wait. Too many other things some first, with most fish related that tie into this so well.

 

[StarChicken]

But why...why is it "really cool"??
Iis there value there worth harvesting or just a sanitation issue??

There is definitely value there, Aart! My daughter and I have chickens and a garden. We compost the litter from the chicken house for a year (it's too "hot" to use immediately) and once it's broken down, use it for garden fertilization.

 

[centrarchid]

Sshh!

 

[aart]

Value! Just wait. Too many other things some first, with most fish related that tie into this so well.

There is definitely value there, Aart! My daughter and I have chickens and a garden. We compost the litter from the chicken house for a year (it's too "hot" to use immediately) and once it's broken down, use it for garden fertilization.

Well, yeah, I know that.....but this is special poop so figured there's another use......and it's centrarchid so...

Sshh!

SMH.