Raptors help control the rodent population. This link could maybe tell you how to provide a bit of habitat in your woods to entice an owl or hawk.

http://geneseeaudubon.blogspot...


http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,...

I actually saw an owl grab a squirrel off the bird feeder one time...

We have eagles, hawks, owls, kites...and they all eat stuff. We also have cats, who even thought they are well fed, they are hunters by nature. We also have a Havaheart trap to bring opossums and raccoons and the occasional nutria back out to the undeveloped areas they wandered in from. And yet, with all that, none of them eat those darned Lubbers.

I have no habitat that could support any of those unfortunately....
And we have chickens, as well as all other types of farm creatures...coyote is not happening


The good news. Today, not one hole was found and only 2 traps were set off, out of 8.

I think my PATRIOTIC Fans are working
MAKE GARDEN GREAT AGAIN!

Haha

Aside from the persistent crabgrass, Bermuda grass and horse weed that are jealous of my irises having their own space, the worst pest has been Japanese beetles. I'm surprised nobody else has mentioned them here. They've invaded my fruit trees and rendered them into skeletons especially the cherry and plum trees. My roses were also badly affected. I'm wondering if anyone else has been successful in getting rid of these beetles. There are many methods but all have their drawbacks.

I have a problem with Japanese beetles too that have ruined my Virginia creeper my wisteria and my purple coneflowers. I will be buying some milky spore this fall.

plantcollector said:I have a problem with Japanese beetles too that have ruined my Virginia creeper my wisteria and my purple coneflowers. I will be buying some milky spore this fall.

Nono, I defeated mine for now, they are just now coming out, which are the scouts. You kill them and remove the leaves they tag with white wtuff, you'll greatly stump them. I got 48 off of our grapes 2 days ago, only found yesterday. Not but 1 leaf damaged

I'll have to remember that for next year I spent three weeks this spring picking Japanese beetles off my plants to no avail. They're almost done now they've already mated and I assume are laying eggs.

From what I understand milky spore is an organic insecticide that kills just grubs which will also kill moles since you got rid of their food source so I get A 2 for with that one.

Now if the Japanese beetles would only give you respect and not fly in from untreated neighbors' properties it would be wonderful.

I have had amazing success in the PREVENTION of Japanese beetles over the last 3 days. Would anyone want a video series I could create to defeat them WITH OUT buying a single thing?

I would love a video. Any time I could save some money would be great. I didn't realize that milky spore was so expensive.

Okie doke, tomorrow morning I'll begin.

Unfortunately, life was too hectic for me to do anything else other than deal with my plants...no video.

But! Nothing hard to understand.

1. They emerge mind June (at least for me in michigan).
2. Immediately!! THEY SCOUT FOR suitable food sources.....which we'll ALL KNOW. Is darn near everything green.....
3.They will target grape family plants first, GUARANTEED. That goes the same for all of us!
4. THEY REPRODUCE ALMOST AS FAST AS THEY IMERGE. STOP THEM.
4. They will feed primarily on the top most/outermost leaves. During the hottest times of the day consisting between 10 am to 5pm and slowly vanish to I don't know where at the moment...

5. WHEN they land on plants suitable, they will excrete white dry substance on leaves, marking for buffet!
6. Entirely most important step is here and now.

you MUST get these ones off as quickly as possible. They are the candle holders for the rest of the devils.
Extinguish them.....

7. All you need to do is simply hold a cup of water under them and tap them in. Be careful. That movement will set the rest off of the plant. Be incognito, you must.... they do NOT bite, their legs are just very grip secured. Don't be scared.

8. ALSO REMOVE LEAVES WITH WHITE SUBSTANCE REMAINING. That is their candle!
Throw away or burn.

9. If you watch and do not impede. They will fly toward the ground and burrow. To lay eggs, that resets the death wheel. Stop them.


I'm begging. Message . ...me....if you don't understand anything.


I'm currently testing, keeping marked leaves in container to see if they will go for them.

What do I do with my beetles?

I let my chickens answer that...

Definitely those BIG HUGE scary black buzzing bees. They are definitely not afraid of me. The wasps that like flowers and the normal, sane bees fly around while I garden, but those mean big black bees dive-bomb me. So I make like a tree and leave when those hovercraft come in for a landing They scare the bee-gee-bees out of me for sure. Why can't they share the garden like the other flying buzzers?

droughttolerant said:Definitely those BIG HUGE scary black buzzing bees. They are definitely not afraid of me. The wasps that like flowers and the normal, sane bees fly around while I garden, but those mean big black bees dive-bomb me. So I make like a tree and leave when those hovercraft come in for a landing They scare the bee-gee-bees out of me for sure. Why can't they share the garden like the other flying buzzers?

Haha, horseflies?

@bhart90 thanks for sharing that. I tried catching them and putting them in a jar I still got the jar out there full of dead beetles and you can smell it a hundred feet away it hasn't had any effect on them. I think I waited too late to do it. Hopefully I will remember this for next year. I think the only thing that will get rid of them this year is a big can of Sevendust which I absolutely will not use.

"Buggy" season here. Slugs, camel crickets, and the Japanese beetles are on the move. Oddly we've had an abundance of slugs for years with minimal damage but now that they're found ruined hostas unappealing they're going for my cannas. The past several nights I've been eradicating them by hand with several beer traps that have served as a better attractant than guaranteed killer.

Another trick that's been working is to water flowerbeds against the house near the damage zone and instead of heading for the bed of preferred food they slime straight up the brick wall making for easy plucking.

>> camel crickets,

Camel crickets???

Camel crickets?!?

Camel crickets!!!

Please tell me those are not crickets the size of camels!

I've read about genetic engineering, but hoped that "en-gene-ers" would be smart enough to avoid crossing insects with camels.

"Knowledge is knowing that tomatoes are fruits, but wisdom is knowing not to put them in fruit salad."

Camel crickets. Oh what a visual!!!