Have you used netting to keep japanese beetles out of the garden?

Rymea
by Rymea

The smallest mesh I can find is 1/4" and I'm not sure that is small enough. Have any of you tried it? They devoured our tomatoes last year, along with the roses and basil.

  7 answers
    • Rymea Rymea on Apr 04, 2019

      Thank you I'm going to try some of those remedies.

  • Em Em on Apr 03, 2019

    GREENHOUSE MEGA STORE online carries fine mesh.


    Insecticides provide effective control of adult Japanese beetles. Imidacloprid (Merit) moves systemically through the tree to provide control. Soil applications require 2 months to move through the tree and so are not practical now for this yearļæ½s infestation. Imidacloprid (Imicide, Pointer) injected into the trunk or root flare takes only 2 weeks to move through the tree. Occasionally, about one tree in seven, the imidacloprid does not provide control systemically, so you need to watch for this. Once in the tree, the imidacloprid should be effective for at least a year.

    Carbaryl (Sevin), clothianidin (Arena), cyfluthrin (Tempo), and dinotefuran (Safari) provide about 2 weeks of protection per foliar spray. With the beetles present for about 6 weeks, three applications are typically required.

    Because the adult beetles prefer foliage previously damaged by other Japanese beetles when they change hosts, early hand-removal of beetles is effective. In the late afternoon and evening, disturbed beetles fold their legs and drop to the ground. By holding a widemouth jar of rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) or soapy water under beetles and poking at them, one can easily collect a pint or so in less than an hour. If this is done every day or two for the first couple of weeks after the beetles emerge, subsequent damage through the summer is reduced. Although labor-intensive, this may be a viable option for clientele.

    • See 3 previous
    • Em Em on Apr 05, 2019

      I have Japanese beetle traps that I bought from Walmart, but I read that the pheromone released can end up bringing MORE in that catch the scent that may not have. It works but my Japanese willow shrubs still had plenty on them. In the morning when after I took the dogs out I had a water bottle half filled with dish soap and water. The long skinny leaves of the willow fit perfectly inside the bottle neck . Give it a tap and they fall in, a slight shake the dish detergent breaks the surface tension of the water and they go under. The bottle lasted about a week but they start to smell. After I was sure they were all dead I would drain the water and pitch the bottle. I sprayed my rose bush with hot pepper garlic dish soap and water mix when is say them on it, as they were harder to get. My Dad used a can with about an inch of gasoline in it. As kids he sent us to the garden and each of us got a small stick and knocked them into the can to drown. Four kids found it more fun than work. If you give a kid an aluminum can with gasoline today some fool would be calling child protective services......ah ha ha ha ha.

      Knocking them into soapy water with a wide mouth jar will control as many as you can as each female lays more eggs for the following year. Get one with a lid you can put back on to make sure none escape.

  • Betty Albright-Bistrow Betty Albright-Bistrow on Apr 04, 2019

    Hi Rymea!

    Last year we ordered japaneses beetle traps from Amazon and I know we will this year as well. Here they are:


    https://www.amazon.com/s?k=japanese+beetle+traps&crid=2AGKF5NVHBSKB&sprefix=japanese+beetle+%2Caps%2C194&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_16

    • Rymea Rymea on Apr 04, 2019

      Thanks We used those also last year but the bugs were still all over our tomatoes. We modified our 2 traps to empty into 5 gallon buckets instead of the little bags provided. We emptied the buckets three times so we figured we destroyed about 10 gallons of bugs. You see why I'm looking for netting or some other way to keep them off our plants.

  • Oliva Oliva on Apr 04, 2019

    Old sheer curtains are very effective covers, due to the fine weave. They are generally found at second hand shops.

  • Susan Ellis Yamakawa Susan Ellis Yamakawa on Apr 04, 2019

    I put coffee grounds around my rose during the winter but Iā€™ll try soap

  • Rymea Rymea on Apr 04, 2019

    Thank you and good luck

  • Em Em on Jul 29, 2021

    Try window screen. It comes in rolls. Amazon has Garden mesh netting in Ultra fine.

    • Rymea Rymea on Jul 29, 2021

      I don't know why and can hardly believe it, but we haven't seen a single Japanese Beetle this year. And last year wasn't nearly as bad as 2019.

      But thank you. I'm sure we'll be needing the screen or netting in the future.