When I die and go to heaven, the first question I will ask god is..............."what is the purpose of the Japanese Beetle ? " I have pondered this question since my early days as a gardener. What on earth are they good for ??? The beetle devours almost anything that is green, once it has reproduced it will burrow into your lawn and lay its eggs. The eggs will then become larvae that devour and destroy your lawn, which as every home owner knows is a direct reflection on your success as a human being. Oh the shame of a brown lawn, it is equivalent to a large zit on the end of your nose !
My war tactics over the years have varied. There was my milky spore stage, messy , expensive, and not very successful. I then tried the earth friendly concoction of mustard powder and dish soap, this is sprayed on daily to make the plants distasteful to the beetle. I am sorry to say beetles like mustard on anything. My final and most successful solution is a hands on approach, a bowl with Lestoil and a bit of water. Each morning I make the rounds in the garden knocking the unsuspecting beetles into the deadly solution. I must admit I do find some evil delight watching them struggle and then slowly succumb to death.
I am sure God will tell me the beetle is designed to teach us. The beetle teaches us, patients, perseverance, and the ability to deal with pain. You see there is nothing more painful then seeing your prized flowers reduced to an outline of what they once were.
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