I've read lots of things about the traps. I also am an engineer with 20
years of doing experiments and evaluating data. Check out my website. I
have lots of beetles around, (mostly in traps) and great peaches. No
pesticides to spray, so I can go out and pick a peach and eat it without
worrying about ingesting anything other than various insect's dung (what a
pleasant thought!) The problem I have with most of the studies that I have
seen is that you can't be sure who's funding them, and how that might effect
the outcome. I've been around the block enough that I'm skeptical about
anything unless I know (hopefully personally) the folks doing the experiment
and that they are good (read that smart enough to know what they are looking
for and smart enought to interpret the data they collect correctly) and
unbiased. This includes many PhD types at universities, doing research for
the sole purpose of generating $$.
All I will rely on is what I've seen, and it does not completely mesh with
most of the published reports. This year, I put up a trap 100 feet away
from an infested plant. Note, the trap was put in place after the plant in
question was 1/3 defoliated. Three days later, the trap was full and the
infested plant was still infested, and now about 1/2 defoliated. I
suspended traps from two trees, and for all the beetles that were attracted
in, the peach trees are virtually untouched. In fact, I am presently
supporting the tree with props to try to keep the branches from breaking
under the weight of the peaches.
Ohio State, Michigan State and Purdue have done similar experiments, and
they all come to roughly the same conclusion, I'm guessing, as your
reference. Sorry, but I don't trust experiments carried out by most
graduate students. To quote your text: "more beetles come to the area of
the trap than are actually caught and killed, so damage to susceptible
plants near or adjacent to traps can be great." Notice the words CAN BE.
The lack of a difinitive phrase like "is certain" or even "is highly likely"
should be a clue that maybe the data did not prove that susceptible plants
were indeed damaged!! Here's something intersting about the article you
referenced:
In the first line of the last paragraph, and I'll cut and paste so I don't
make a mistake, " Sevin XLR (7-day PHI) and malathion (1- to 3-day PHI,
depending on the crop) are often the best choices.
And later in the same paragraph, " The notes that Danitol and Sevin work
best against these beetles. Imidan, malathion and Marlate (methoxychlor) are
moderately effective."
OK, is malathion the best choice,as stated in the first quote, or only
moderately effective as stated in the second quote? I do agree with the
statement " Be sure to scout frequently for Japanese beetles including
re-scouting about 24 to 48 hours after you've applied an insecticide.
Remember that this insect reinvades crops very rapidly. " which is
consistent with my experience the four years my peach trees were severely
damaged.
In my case, as I said earlier, I placed the traps on the trees I wanted
protected, in spite of the manufacturers recommendation to put them 30 feet
away, downwind. Let's see, four years of defoliation without traps. Two
years of great peaches and virtually no leaf damage with traps. To me, that
is pretty conclusive evidence. Next year, I'll put a trap on my neighbors
plum tree and see what happens. Since I've taken pictures of that tree this
year, I'll have something concrete to base my conclusion on, vs. just what
I've experienced over the past six summers. I also have a friend using the
traps this year to keep the beetles off his roses. He seems to be getting
the same results as I am. Lots of beetles at the trap, and none on the
roses. His trap, however, is not placed in the rose plant area.
Check out the web site for pictures. I think they are pretty clear. I will
keep updating the site with information as I get feedback. No disrepect to
our great teaching institutions, but for now I think I'll ignore their
conclusions and do what I know works.
Joel
wrote in message
...
"Joel Downey" wrote:
I've read that as well, and here is my take on it:
I've seen you hawking that gizmo before.
Here are the facts on bag a bug's.
http://comp.uark.edu/~dtjohnso/japbeetle.html
Japanese beetle traps are sold under the claim that they attract and
remove enough beetles to meaningfully reduce the nearby population and
protect surrounding plants. They do catch a lot of beetles, so they do in
fact reduce the local population, but the magnitude of that reduction is
usually small. If you do use traps in an effort to control this insect,
use several (not just 2 or 3), and place them a little ways away from the
plants you hope to protect most -- more beetles come to the area of the
trap than are actually caught and killed, so damage to susceptible plants
near or adjacent to traps can be great. The notes that Danitol and
Sevin
work best against these beetles. Imidan, malathion and Marlate
(methoxychlor) are moderately effective.
Try Sevin next time.
--
GO# 40