Purchase
Area Master Gardener Association
(PAMGA)
|
(PAMGA) |
|
|
PESTS It's summer and there are bugs aplenty in area gardens.
Japanese Beetles. The bane of many a gardener, Japanese Beetles begin their life cycle as grubs. While Japanese Beetles favor plants in the rose family, when hungry they are not picky and will eat most any available plant material. A dose of Sevin seems to have the most lasting deterrent effect but still must be reapplied every 7-10 days. Traps are popular, but if used should be placed far away from desirable plants. The traps work by attracting beetles. You will defeat your purpose by deliberately bringing them to the area you are trying to protect. (photo submitted by Shirley Edwards).
Blister Beetles black blister beetle - jet black Blister beetles are common but haven't been found in high numbers in Kentucky. Historically they are most abundant in arid regions of the US where grasshoppers are in regular supply. Adults feed on leaves in tops of plant but are especially attracted to flowers where they feed on nectar and pollen. They gather in groups, so large numbers can occur in concentrated clusters in a field. These beetles are mid to late summer insects, active in mid-June and early August which translates to the third or fourth cutting. Female blister beetles lay clusters of eggs in soil in late summer. The small, active larvae that hatch from these eggs crawl over the soil surface entering cracks in search of grasshopper egg pods deposited in the soil. After finding the egg mass, blister beetle larvae become immobile and spend the rest of their developmental time as legless grubs. The next summer they transform into the pupal stage and soon emerge as adults. Thus, blister beetle numbers increase dramatically following high grasshopper populations. This photo was submitted by Shirley Edwards. |
|
Purchase Area Master Gardener Association, 2705 Olivet Church Road, Paducah, Ky 42001 270/554-9520 FAX 270/554-8283 www.pamga.org |
narrow
bodies, broad heads, and antennae about 1/3 the length of the entire
body. Front wings are soft and flexible in contrast to the hard front
wings of beetles. Three common Kentucky species are:
She
found them chewing on Japanese Anemones in her Marshall County garden. She
disagrees (I'm guessing from personal annual experience) with the UK statement
that blister beetles have not been found in high numbers in Kentucky. They
had already chewed a big clump of pink anemones and she hoped they wouldn't find
the white ones. The blister beetles showed up and nearly defoliated the plant
in a matter of hours. She noticed they dined on foliage but the bloom bud
was untouched. From Shirley's observation, "they chew up a plant faster
than Japanese beetles. They come in droves and leave after the plant is totally
destroyed if [anything is] left." Learn more about blister beetles at