When is Japanese Beetle Season Over?
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By the looks of our garden, I’d say NEVER! What with these beetles?? We’ve treated, we’ve picked and drowned, picked and drowned and treated – and still they’re out there by the millions (oh, ok – maybe a FEW less). It’s exasperating!
Besides these little critters, the garden is beginning to look a little worn for wear. We need to start looking for plants that will be better season extenders. We’ve tried mums and asters – but like I’ve said before the little squirrels love them, and they’re gone….again.
Talking about squirrels. We’ve had a “newbie” on the block for the last several weeks. He’s a cute little bugger. Curious.We actually caught him several times, standing on his hind legs with his paws on the window, looking in. It looked like he was trying to watch TV or see what I was reading. He wouldn’t let us get his picture like that, though. If you look in my photos, you can see the feeders behind him. He’s been diligently examining them from every perch and angle he can manage to attempt robbery. So far, he’s been put off.
We’re still enjoying some pretty colors. Our clematis, unfortunately, have taken a real hit from what looks like black spot. But the cone flowers, black-eyed susans, baby’s rose blanket, and the “tall, purple stuff” (can’t remember the name) is still looking great. The grasses in the back, and over by our house are beautiful this year.
22 Aug, 2008
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Those beetles can be horrid pests in some area, Flcrazy has a really hard time with them also. Squirrels can also be a major garden pest. I like the funny little guys except when they chew up my plants. When I was in high school in Texas we had this really little one that lived in a big Oak outside the front door. We use to step out and hold out a peanut and he would come and get it. This became extremely funny one evening when a date came to pick me up and the squirrel ran up his leg. My sis and I were almost rolling on the ground laughing!
23 Aug, 2008
I've never heard of Japanese beetles, I'm very glad to say! It sounds as if you're having a bad time with them, though. How big are they? We don't get squirrels in this garden - but suffered from them in Kent, they dug up my bulbs and bedding plants, I think to bury acorns and conkers, because I was always digging little trees out of my pots! I don't remember them eating plants, though. They can do a lot of damage to electrical wiring if they get into the loft area of the house! Pests, aren't they! My grandfather called them 'rats with tails'.
23 Aug, 2008
That's what my hubby calls them Spritz. How funny!
23 Aug, 2008
I've also heard squirrels called rats with good "PR".
23 Aug, 2008
Funny, Chris and so true!
23 Aug, 2008
Yes, Japanese beetles are nasty buggers. They're shiny, almost irridescent beetles and they ruin the roses, the clematis, the gayfeather, the raspberries....probably the roses are there food of choice.
They also have this nasty mating habit of multi-partner things going on. Ugh.
Our squirrels like the bulbs and apparently mums and asters. However, I think we can get around that in the future with grating or something. Other than that, they're out and outright birdfood thieves. No remorse, no attempt to give up the bad habit - and we even provide them with their own food! So, I think they're more like pigs with bushy tails!
23 Aug, 2008
Good one Connie, they can be greedy little beggers!
23 Aug, 2008
I'm really happy to say that we haven't seen any Japanese Bettles here in the North East for years. I remember them well though and the destruction they cause is unbelievable.
24 Aug, 2008
So how'd the North East avoid it?? Not fair!!
24 Aug, 2008
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Sorry about your awful beetles. I don't think we get them over here. Your other wildlife sounds cute.
Sounds like youv'e got a few things in flower. As we get to the end of the summer a lot of things begin to look jaded, but I still look forward to the Autumn colours.
22 Aug, 2008