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.