Japanese Beetles Love Their Geraniums

I've happened upon a new theory. It has to do with geraniums and Japanese beetles. Apparently some scientists from the USDA have revived an old study. The study involved geraniums and that nasty little bug we've come to abhor so. These guys say they know how to get rid of Japanese beetles and I'm all ears.

 Apparently, these bugs love geraniums, and will do all kinds of things to get at them. They eat the beloved plants until they fall into deep sleep, and when they wake up, they go looking for more. It's a cycle not unlike humans on heroin or cocaine.The beetles can completely annihilate a bush, then they sleep, and during this slumber they're  vulnerable to predator attacks. They also seem to be completely disinterested in any other plant while they're on geraniums. The bugs have a Jones that knows no equal. They're even said to have no interest in reproduction while eating the plant.

Researchers from the USDA are saying this experiment remains a laboratory scenario, meaning they're not suggesting gardeners or farmers rely on this to get rid of the pests, but man are the implications there. 

Stinky Plants

After watching the video on beetle traps I decided to hold off, and approach this thing in a natural way. Naturally, I continued looking online. I found a bunch of stuff when I Googled  How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles. But there were some natural ways I could go about this that didn't seem like they would cost me too many calories. I could plant catnip or Geraniums. Any strong smelling plant would do. I even  did a little research on the bug itself. The Department of Agriculture had this to say:

The Japanese beetle is a highly destructive plant pest that can be very difficult and expensive to control. Feeding on grass roots, Japanese beetle grubs damage lawns, golf courses, and pastures. Japanese beetle adults attack the foliage, flowers, or fruits of more than 300 different ornamental and agricultural plants.

Yep, things weren't looking too good. I headed to my local gardening store, and picked up all the stinky plants I could find. Well, I wouldn't quite call them stinky. Let's just say strong smelling. I again referred to a video on grape plants and Japanese beetles. I couldn't post that one for some reason, so I just posted this one which made me want to use beetle traps even less.

How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles: Day One

I  love to garden. Maybe love isn't the right word.  But I do really like it. If I spend a couple hours a week out there in the dirt, I feel like a better person. I couldn't tell you why. Maybe it's the whole nature thing. Maybe it's just the feeling of accomplishment. I think I stay happy because of it. 


Earlier this year, in the summer, I began to notice brown spots in my yard and then a little later, holes started showing up on my plants. Then, I saw one: it was brown and green, and feasting on my roses. It was a Japanese beetle. Instant enemy. I wanted it dead, and I was going to stop at nothing to make sure that happened. I decided I would stop at nothing to keep those bugs out of my yard and my garden. I also decided to tell the world about it, so I started a blog called How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles and Other Pests. 


I didn't know where to start, but I found a video on YouTube, that made the process look easy. Who would've thought it was going to be so hard.What I found that fateful day at the beginning of my adventure with Japanese beetles was on the now infamous beetle trap.