Those darn Japanese Beetles
Help! The Japanese Beetle invasion is insane this year. I try to do organic gardening as much as possible but sometimes I have to do whatever it takes.
I'm relatively new to this area (middle Missouri transplanted from Chicago area)and still getting used to the gardening challenges of the area, one of which is the massive amount of Japanese beetles skeletonizing my cherry trees, my roses, cannas, and many other plants. I've been regularly doing the dish soap/water bowl trick, and even used neem oil but it seems they keep coming in higher numbers!!
I've never had issues with this nasty bug at my previous property. I plan to get chickens at some point, and heard they love to eat the grubs and beetles, but for now, I'm at my wits end. I'm half tempted to get a Japanese beetle trap and tie it in a tree near a farm field a half mile away, will that do the trick? I hate these bugs!! Any suggestions would be appreciated.