Japanese beetles feed on and destroy nearly everything in a landscape, but opinions differ on the best way to battle them – pesticides, picking them off by hand or pheromone traps. Here are three myths.
A) Traps lure Japanese beetles from kilometers around. No! Most attractants lure beetles from no more than 100 meters, the traps only lure beetles that are already near the yard.
B) Traps make things worse by luring more beetles than they hook. No! Traps are placed incorrectly. Don’t place the traps next to ornamental plants, set traps about 9 meters from plants to lure the beetles away preferably next to a non-flowering tree or shrub.
C) Insecticides will kill off Japanese beetles. Yes but they kill beneficial pollinators. Pheromone traps provide a visible means of combating Japanese beetles without having a negative effect on the environment. Traps are effective in one yard alone, but it’s better if they are also in surrounding yards as well.
