Japanese Beetle Relocation Project

[microcollie]

My gardens are at the edge of a 30 acre property, with about 2 acres being cultivated and the rest woods and fields. I'm in the habit of collecting my japanese beetles in a jar and relocating them to an are in the middle of the property, a sunny field with lots of wild roses and wild grape (2 of their favorite foods.) I figure that they're just trying to get by like the rest of us. Being smack dab in the middle of the property, it's a long hike (or flight) from there to anywhere inhabited. Does anyone have any idea how far a beetle will fly? Am I moving the same ones over and over? There does seem to be a big population in the field, and not too many around my house, but just wondering.

[Kisal]

According to the University of Kentucky, Japanese beetles can fly as far as 5 miles in search of food sources, but usually only go about 1 to 2 miles at a time. They follow airborne scents.

https://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/entfactpdf/ef409.pdf

[microcollie]

WOW!! I guess I'd better look into another solution. I'm moving them not even 1/4 mile from the house. Although maybe they're happy in their new digs so have no reason to leave?

[Kisal]

The article explains that they are attracted to plants where other Japanese beetles are already feeding. It seems likely that moving them to another location might cause others to be attracted to those plants, instead of to your garden plants.

OTOH, although it wasn't directly addressed in any of the literature I checked, there might be some level of population density which causes the beetles to fly off in search of other food sources. If that is true, then it's very possible that many of the beetles you move are 'repeat customers'. I'm just guessing about that, however.

You might consider putting a simple birdbath near the area where you release the beetles. Water is a great attractant for birds, and if they come for a drink, they might stay to eat some of the beetles, as well.

[microcollie]

Thanks for being so thorough!! I figured that I'd get a tongue-lashing for trying to find an alternative to killing such a hated pest.

Good idea about attracting birds. I didn't know that many birds ate them. I'll look into which might be the best to attract, then put out a couple feeders with the appropriate food. (there's already a pond close by for water)

Thanks and happy Fourth!!

[rainbowgardener]

Here's something I found about birds that eat JB's:

Purple Grackle, European Starting, Cardinal, Meadowlark, Catbird, English Sparrow and Robin "some of the more important" feeders on adult beetles, and credit the grackle, Starling and Crow with feeding on larvae. I have already (Wils. Bull., 55: 79, 1943) mentioned the Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) and Louise F. A. Tanger (Bull. Lane. Co., Pa., Bird Club, No. 7: 5-6, 1945, miracog.) mentions the Brown Thrasher (Toxostomar ufum) as feeding on adults. Observations in Baltimore in 1945 and 1946 enable me to add the Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpese rythrocephalus)B, lue Jay (Cyanocittac ristata), Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus), Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olAyacesa) nd Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottost)o the roll of feederso n adult beetles. Of these, the Red-headed W oodpeckerhas been the heaviest feeder; https://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Auk/v064n03/p0458-p0459.pdf

Wow! There is a use for starlings and grackles!

However, I must say, while I've been catching JB's on my grape vine and spending hrs observing the scene there, I have never seen any birds come to it; we have most of the birds on the above list on our property.

[microcollie]

Thanks!!! Maybe I'll hang feeders right in the tangle of grapes where the beetles are the most prolific. I already have a few from your list, but haven't really watched to see if they feed out in the field. I'll keep you posted if I find any new developments!

[miagardener]

I have a question? Japanese beetles are pretty much all together no good bugs, right? Why in the world are you spending so much time capturing and releasing them instead of just exterminating them?

[Kisal]

Some people have ethical or religious reasons for not wanting to kill other living creatures, even pest species.

[rainbowgardener]

In a different post somewhere, I talked a bit about my JB issues. Discovered them congregating on the wild grape vine and started catching and drowning them without really thinking it through, just because that's what you do. I drowned about 30 of them over the period of about a week. But I kept feeling less and less comfortable doing it. Felt like I was turning into a killing machine and that's not what gardening has ever been about for me.

The JB's are actually quite beautiful-- iridescent, metallic, gleaming like jewels in the sunshine. I wasn't seeing them anywhere but on the wild grape vine, which is a weed anyway. They didn't seem to be doing any damage in my garden that I could tell. So I just quit looking for them and quit killing them.

If I suddenly start having tons of damage to my veggies, I may re think my position (again!), but for now I just don't want to spend my garden time killing things.

[microcollie]

Ditto. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the search for the perfect pepper (or flower, tree, etc., etc.) that we forget that it's the imperfections that keep gardening interesting, wondrous, and enjoyable. While I won't say I'm above swatting the occasional mosquito or yanking the occasional burdock, I find that letting nature have a big hand in my gardening can yield some beautiful and unexpected results. If I find that I can coexist with the beetles and grubs and yes, even dandelions and wild parsnip, then I'm impacting the cycle of nature less when I add my own personal touches.

[miagardener]

I understand. I also want to be organic and as natural as possible with my garden but I have such a terrible FEAR of bugs, especially creepy crawlies and spiders. Starting my own tropical garden has helped me a bit with my fears and made me realize how beneficial some insects are (like ants, they clean up anything dead so quickly and effeciently) so I don't set out ant traps anymore unless they become a problem. Spiders on the otherhand are wonderful because they eat all of the bad bugs but I am SO scared of them, if they get in a bad spot, they have to go. Constantly dodging and watching out for spider webs is just too much for me! Plus I don't want my beautiful butterflies getting caught in them. I would much rather have BATS flying around to help with the insect problem. Anyway to lure bats to your area? LOL!

[microcollie]

As a matter of fact, yes. I hung 12 bat houses a few years ago, hoping to get bats to eat my mosquitos. They sat empty for a year, until I did my homework. Since bats are noctournal, they feed on other insects that are noctournal. So to lure the bats, you have to lure the other insects. The way to do this is by planting plants that are strongly scented at night or that bloom at night (most herbs, nicotiana, jasmine, moonflowers, etc.) Also leaving some dim lights burning helps to lure moths and other insects at night, but the bats will shy away from them once they are too near the light source. There's plenty of good info on the web if you're actually interested in luring bats. I'm happy to say that 10 out of the 12 houses now have occupants.
One big word of warning. I live in an old farmhouse with its share of gaps and cracks. Last year my attic became the mother of all bat houses. It took a bat wrangler (read $$$) and a boat load of screening to make sure that they were all removed and sealed out. But now they're seemingly happy in their intended homes.