P is for Pest

It's a really good thing that the climbing rose 'Blaze' blooms mostly in June.  This rebloomer endures a dreadful fate every summer.  After the first of July, when beetle grubs become adults, I'm faced with destruction and damage in the garden.

Meet the scourge of the Northeast.  Popillia japonica Newman, AKA the Japanese beetle, demonstrates a voracious and undiscriminating appetite.  You can read about the disgusting little suckers at either link.

There are some flowers that are just not worth growing because of the beetles.  Dahlias never have a chance to preen before their petals become the snack before sex.

I'll leave you with a picture of a flower they don't seem to like.  (Trial and error is how most gardening proceeds.)  I chose the catanache because of the blue.  It flowers freely in the heat, unlike many that shut down and sulk until cooler temperatures return. 

Comments

[Lee Ann]

Bachelor's buttons! One of my absolute favourites.

[Chris]

Boo hiss on invasive species!

[Manise]

Because of all the rain, those beetles in my garden were fewer this year, though I hate their existence. I've been known to hand pick them off my rosa rugosa and squeeze their guts out between my thumb and forefinger. They also have an appetite for beans and basil in my garden. Have you ever noticed that they can sense when you are about to pounce on them and drop like a stone to the ground in hopes you'll lose sight of them? I never do! Did I mention that I hate them? Lovely bachelor buttons- I have them too and am hoping for a rebloom soon.

[maryse]

fuckers.

[margene]

Ick,ick,ick...ugly beetles they are. The blue is fabulous. I could cover my little spot with that blue and be very happy.

[Barbp]

Nasty little buggers!!!

Get this, I think I have hornets that have made a nest in the trunk of a lilac bush. I did some surgery and discovered the problem. Not sure if it's going to recover.

Love your blue flowers. The color is so intense.

[Cheryl]

Wow, I'd never have guessed Manise had that capacity for beetle rage. I'll have to remember not to anger her.

Our worst Japanese Beetle infestations are always on the roses. Do they just like the way they taste? Or smell?

[Melissa G]

I well remember my grandmother's continuing battle against the Japanese beetles in her roses. Gardening in Denver we have other hazards.

Congratulations on Mr. Etherknitter's continued progress--so wonderful to see him out and about!

[Norma]

Frickin' Japanese Beetles. I take the same tack as Manise with them. I also love to knock them into a yogurt container filled with soapy water or something (David likes gasoline). They certainly do bring out the beetle rage in all of us! It's especially satisfying to do it when they're having sex. :) Knock on wood, I haven't had them too bad since the year a few years ago that I told you about where I put Milky Spore all around. I should probably do it again this fall.

[Chris]

Those ugly litle scuts, along with black spot, are why I don't grow more roses. Sigh. I love roses!

[Theresa]

In spite of the bad ol' beetles I would love to have your garden. Maybe you did this some time a long time ago, but I would love to see an "overview" picture. You must have so much color to look out on!

[Marcia]

Milky spore! Spread over your lawn...it kills the grubs, thus, so I'm told, no beetles. So I'm told.

[Juno]

I have such strong memories of my mother with a little dish of water and soap wandering the garden in the early damp mornings of summer, knocking those little fuckers into her bowl.

Have you considered milky spore?

[Risë]

My crepe myrtles never bloom fully because the little suckers eat the buds before they have a chance to open. They also love my purple leaf plums. Thankfully we had fewer this year. Not sure why.

[Cathy]

And bachelor buttons - according to NORma (is there another blogging Norma?) are goldfinch snacks. The seeds, I think she means. I am awaiting a gold bird on a blue flower. Thankfully I cannot comment on the beetles :-)

[Cassie]

I, um.... liked the pretty dragonfly picture a whole lot better than the icky ravenous beetles. The catanache color is absolutely gorgeous, and its one of my favorites for that reason.

[Martha]

That is a gorgeous blue!

Hate the beetles. Hate, hate, hate the beetles. I love roses so much, and so do the beetles.

[Dorothy B]

Sucks about the beetles. It's too cold up here for them to really get going.

Love the cute little blue flowers.

[Kellee]

Holy crap! Is THAT what's been happening to my Dahlias!?!?! Well, we'll just see about THAT.

[lisa Co. Springs]

At least you've something in your garden that the wee beasties don't like :)

[Cordelia]

Just like everyone else, I say Yay! bachelor's buttons and Icky Boo! japanese beetles. My husband hunts them down because we do have dahlias. Of course, the dahlias bloom a little earlier here.

[Lucia]

That combination of blue and purple just blows me away every time I see it. Someday I will find a way to capture it in knitting.

Weren't Japanese beetles yet another critter introduced for some allegedly good reason that took roughly 20 minutes to multiply beyond all reason and control?

[Kim]

you have this one right for sure! Those pesky beetles are a HUGE PIA!

I love your blue flowers! I will have to look them up....the blues are my favorite color in the garden!

[Cassa]

I've never heard of Japanese beetles, perhaps we don't have them this far south? It's aweful that they're eating your beautiful roses! The blue flowers are so pretty, too!

[claudia]

I like that spikey flower. Spikey! Yeah!

[kmkat]

I came to your blog and was instantly captivated by the blue bachelor buttons. They are one of my favorites, first because they were one of the only two flowers (pansies were the other) that my mother let me, nay, ENCOURAGED me, to pick in her garden; and second, because they are one of the very, very few true blue flowers I know. (Delphiniums, Scilla siberica, and Gentiana paradoxa 'Blauer Harold' are the others). Lots of flowers are billed as blue but are actually some shade of bluish-purple or lavender.

I've subscribed to your blog now -- looking forward to lots of knitting and horticultural pics!