I'm calling out the National Guard!!!!!

[Lin]

What a mess! All of a sudden three days ago Japanese Beetles attack my Beautiful Purple Pickerel. I put out the Beetle Bag, but in order to try to save my plant, I'm out there in the Pond hand picking them off the leaves. Then some moved to the beautiful Sacred Lotus Blossom and I finally had to cut the Blossom off and float it in a Lotus Bowl. This has never happened before and I don't know what else to do. Even now they are out there eating away.

Next disaster, the Lotus Plant slid all the way down to the bottom of the pond. I was out there last night in the dark, and finally got the plant up out of the bottom, but it started falling apart. Now I've got a free moving, on the loose Lotus which if I don't get it potted could cause another disaster. Some days I think maybe I should just give up ponding and Koi keeping.

 

[gimpy]

Sorry, I can't help you, I know next to nothing about this stuff.

But, I want to give you a little encouragement. Stay in there, hang tough, don't get so discouraged and upset (I know, easier said than done). Try to relax and have patience, eventually, everything will turn out for the better.

 

[Tula]

It's always something with our ponds ! I think hand picking the beetles will work over time....maybe with a mug of coffee or glass of wine ?

 

[Lin]

Sorry, I can't help you, I know next to nothing about this stuff.

But, I want to give you a little encouragement. Stay in there, hang tough, don't get so discouraged and upset (I know, easier said than done). Try to relax and have patience, eventually, everything will turn out for the better.

Thank You for the encouragement. I am doing my best, but I just came in because the heat and humidity are soooooo bad today. in some way it may work out as it is forcing me to repot and shrink the size of those plants.

 

[Lin]

It's always something with our ponds ! I think hand picking the beetles will work over time....maybe with a mug of coffee or glass of wine ?

Thank You for the reminder and suggestion. I forgot that is so true with a pond. I haven't had any major issues for years and I guess I forgot. For some reason I have a fear of growing too old and weak to keep my pond and my beloved Koi. I had the coffee and now I am working on that glass of Mogan David Blackberry WineI took a pic or 2 of the sad situation but can't bring myself to post it yet." Beetles everywhere even on top of each other.

 

[Tula]

Thank You for the reminder and suggestion. I forgot that is so true with a pond. I haven't had any major issues for years and I guess I forgot. For some reason I have a fear of growing too old and weak to keep my pond and my beloved Koi. I had the coffee and now I am working on that glass of Mogan David Blackberry WineI took a pic or 2 of the sad situation but can't bring myself to post it yet." Beetles everywhere even on top of each other.

I'm 62, soon to be 63, and also worry about the future, wanting to take good care of my koi......who are long lived !

 

[Lin]

I'm 62, soon to be 63, and also worry about the future, wanting to take good care of my koi......who are long lived !

I have a book that said "put your Koi in your Will". 62 seems young to me now and even though at 73 I understand what it is to grow old, living it in real time is an entirely different experience. I have been showing my son how to look after the Koi and the Pond but he has a lot to learn. I have a lot to learn too and after all these years am learning more about Jap. Beetle control than I ever thought I would need to know. Finally I went on line tonight and found there are quite a few ways to combat them. I just hope we (the plants and me) survive. I am exhausted.....

 

[cas]

I'm having a lot of problems with Japanese beetles this year too. Hang in there!

 

[mrsclem]

They are destroying my large lotus as well. Totally ignoring the bag-a-bug traps. Is anything going right this year????

 

[addy1]

They are destroying my large lotus as well. Totally ignoring the bag-a-bug traps. Is anything going right this year????

humm I have not seen any, maybe I had better look but the lotus look great.

 

[Lin]

UGH!

I'm having a lot of problems with Japanese beetles this year too. Hang in there!

Oh No! How awful! I'd like to know where the darn things go at night so I could track them down before they get back on the plants by mid morning. I am ashamed to say I feel better not to be the only one under attack.

 

[mrsclem]

The only lotus they are eating is right next to a rose bush, their favorite food!

 

[addy1]

Get these : spray them out per instructions and the nematodes eat the grubs.

nematodes for japanese beetle grubs at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

 

[BKHpondcritters]

The only lotus they are eating is right next to a rose bush, their favorite food!

We keep a coffee can filled with soapy water right next to our rose bushes so we can pick them off & drop them into the 'soup' as we walk by during the day. I must say, though, we're not having nearly as many of them this year as is usual. I guess having a garden riddled with moles has some advantage?

 

[addy1]

Yes moles eat grubs which = beetles. We have moles everywhere.