bugs eating my roses

[Petunia Lover]

What are the metallic looking bugs that eat my roses like crazy? how can I get rid of them Without poison?

PL

[The Helpful Gardener]

Those would be Japanese beetles, bane of the rose gardener. Hand picking remains the ecologically friendly way to rid yourself; as they respond to any touch by tumbling to the ground, be sure to put a pail of water under the blossoms before you grab. Do not throw crushed bugs near plants you want to save; the sexual pheromones will attract more of the same.

Getting these guys at the larval stage is the way to get rid of them long term. I like milky spore as a long term treatment; while those first treatments are kind of expensive, once the spores are established in your yard you will only need an occasional light treatment to maintain the population. And it gets all the grubs that chew up your lawn (breeding site for J-beetles) so your lawn will look better as well.

If you feel an absolute need to buy those silly traps, make sure you give them to neighbors you don't like to attract the beetles there...

Scott

[petunialover]

I have moles too, and they are after grubs I hear also, I guess this Milky spore stuff is the solution. I'm finding little yucky yellow fat blobby things under my containers are these grubs?
re: milky spore;
Will it affect my small dogs, sorry but I love them lots more than my roses...

PL

[The Helpful Gardener]

Yep, those sound like grubs, and nope, Pups is perfectly safe (I don't recommend anything dangerous here EVER without ample warnings, and most of my advice steers towards the green and organic side of things; milky spore is no exception...)

Scott

[The Helpful Gardener]

Yep, those sound like grubs, and nope, Pups is perfectly safe (I don't recommend anything dangerous here EVER without ample warnings, and most of my advice steers towards the green and organic side of things; milky spore is no exception...)

Scott

[Davyd]

OK. This 'milky spore'. Is that what it is called? Who makes it? Easy to find? We need it DESPERATELY. The Japanese beetles are learning to enjoy our cherry trees more and more after leaving our roses and sassafras trees. They even slowly chew the mimosa blooms.

They must DIE.

[The Helpful Gardener]

That's the name for it and you should be able to find it in a good garden center (or they can order it for you).

HG