How do I get rid of Japanese beetles?

Hi Nina,

From what I've read, the easiest way is to get a bucket of warm soapy water and a pair of vinyl gloves. Put on the gloves, go to the garden with the bucket. Start picking them off the plant and dropping them into the bucket or just push them off so that they will fall into the bucket. The soap will keep them in the water and they will drown. Wishing you the best.

Make a tea of cedar blocks you buy for your closet. Buy blocks at any home store, Bed Bath and Beyond is one, or on-line. Pour 1 quart water into a pot and dump in at least 2 blocks. Bring to a boil and let sit overnight. Spray the tree in the morning. Keep spraying under the beetles have moved on. (if you have any roses, spray them too) Next year, right before the beetles appear in your area, do the spray as part of your early spring maintenance. If it rains, spray again. Good luck.

There are also attractant bait traps, Bag-A-Bug, or something like that work pretty well. You put them far away from the plants they are after and they enter the bag for the bait and can’t get out. You just tie up the bag and throw them away!

I put out a pail of apple cider vinegar, water, dish soap mix to attract and eliminate fruit flies. The next day I was suprised to see 15-20 drowned Japanese beetles inside. This is now my remedy for both!