I had to go outside with an umbrella because they were dropping out of the trees on my body as soon as I left the house.

I remember doing homemade tanglefoot on the trees, masking tape with Vaseline on it. You'd see the trunks black with the caterpillars below it, nothing above, so it worked beautifully. It still sounded like constant rain from their shit falling through what was left of the leaves.

Favorite memory, riding with a friend who aimed the car at the biggest piles of caterpillars on the road going "ew, ew, ew!" with every squish of the tires.

Second favorite, going out and squashing all the moths I could find with my ex's work boot.

and got a high pressure nozzle and sprayed my trees with 2BT, my neighbors were very impressed and asked me to do theirs as well, so much cheaper than the landscape guys doing it. I must have ended up doing half the block both sides. My Ex did not believe it would work and would not help, so I did it myself, wish I had that energy now. We pretty much wiped them out that year, there is an occasional one now and again, but never that invasion again. I think the bacteria is still alive in my soil. the next year, I got the Japanese beetle bacteria and wiped them away to this day. Wish there was one for earwigs that attack my dahlias.

but they started it too late, when half the caterpillars were already pupating and the trees were bare. I lived in my Cape Cod issue yellow sou'wester until the infestation was over. The trees releafed that year, but pale yellow mouse ear leaves they put out in spring. I imagine the trunk rings are barely perceptible for the year.

They are a copper colored insect. I lost my entire bean crop and they ate all of my roses. We did have a slightly less numerous infestation of the little beetle that looks like a lady bug, but it wasn't nearly as destructive as the Japanese Beetle problem.

It took me about 4 years to finally be free. I did see one or two, this year, but there was no real problem with them.

During the worst of the problem, I accidentally bumped a fruit free, while mowing the yard, and it was like a scene out of a horror movie. I was pretty traumatized.

outside Washington in the 50s. Yeah, they eat everything. They'd be pretty beetles we'd probably appreciate the way we do ladybugs if they weren't so numerous and voracious.

The traps were only physical traps, red and yellow and with a clear glass screw top bottle underneath to trap the beetles. I remember how gross it was to see six inches of squirming beetles a day after the trap got put out.

into your yard, but it is better if you get neighbors to do it too. I have not seen many around since I just got sick of them and bought the stuff. My neighbor had the real problem with their historic roses.

their winter hang out.

Last edited Thu Oct 8, 2015, 06:39 PM - Edit history (1)

Menards, but KMart, Sears, etc carry it. For a one gallon spray it costs approximately $14.00 and keeps bugs away for 12 months!

They are eating what is left in the garden and hanging on the window screens. I hate those ugly pests.

I wouldn't mind the ladybird beetle so much, but dang they've got sharp toe-nails!

Monday was cool and cloudy, Tuesday morning was sunny and there were garter snakes all over the black-top.

I expect the migration of salamanders soon just needs some rainy night, and there is rain tonight