DAMN Filthy Japanese Beetles!!!!

[bub]

where you get the milky spore and nematodes, cause I need to get on that shit now, these things suck so bad... they have eaten the top half of my hops in less than a day... sooo sad.
BUB

[Brew Engineer]

My Goldings and Fuggles basically have no leaves above 4 feet, but now that i've sprayed them they're doing a lor better. I'm starting to see hope cones forming, but I'm wondering how they'll do now that half the leaves are completely eaten away.

At least the Cascades have been relatively untouched.

What is this milky spore stuff? I saw it at the local Agway, but it was freaking expensive.

[halucin8]

Bub,
The milky spore and nematodes are not an instant fix. They will not be effective until next year if put down now. They kill the Japanese beetle grubs in the ground before those little fuckers rise up and eat our hops. Until these treatments take effect, use some kind of insecticide for vegetables.

The cool thing is once used, these treatments last for years.

Milky Spore: http://www.yardlover.com/products.php?pid=173

Nematodes: http://www.yardlover.com/products.php?pid=4761

Prost.

[yabodie]

Any garden store should have the milky spore stuff. I had real bad JBs in my yard. Tried the pheromone traps and got more of the bastards. Put down a layer of the milky spore a few years back and I have noticed a decrease of JBs in my yard. Long term fix for a nasty infestation. I do get wonderful glee knowing the bastards are blowing up underground from the bacterial infestation...

[Mills]

They have destroyed my EKG and slammed my Centeninal pretty hard as well. At least my Cascade are going crazy. I am trying a hot pepper wax spray that seems to give some relief. Part of my problem is the only place I could start my hops is near my grapes and the beetles love those things too!

-Mills

[OG1100]

I've got the same thing going on in Hudson River Valley, NY.
The JBs seem to like my Fuggles, Perle and Liberty but not my Centennial.
For those looking for nematodes, Garden's Alive is a good source, although maybe not the cheapest. Their product is called Grub-Away.
JBs are crappy flyers-- I go ever my plants once a day, find the bastards , cup my hand under the leaf and smack the leaf so they drop into my hand, then smash 'em. If they're "at it" all the better-- you get two (or three!) at a time that way.
I think I'm going to get a decent harvest this year from all my vines-- last year I was blindsided by the destruction and got nothing.

[Brew Engineer]

I've only seen 1 or 2 JBs on my Cascades, so they're doing great! I didn't expect to get nearly this much from first year bines. They're 15 + feet tall!

The Fuggles and Goldings took a big hit, I should get some Goldings, but I don't seem to be getting more than a small handfull of Fuggles, which stinks because I love Fuggles. I love to say the word too... Fuggles...

[johnc66]

I fought the little bastards when they attacked my roses and every other plant in the yard. I used Seven dust, but that isn't something you want to put on your hops. Like said above, Milky Spore and nematodes is the best long term solution. I like Bugeater's idea or the insecticidal soap but you have to stay on top of them... everyday. The bags do nothing but attract them to your yard, they will go to the bag via every plant you have.

Same folks who make Milky Spore make an organic spray using clove oil http://www.milkyspore.com/sharpshooter.htm