General discussion & info about South Walton, Florida.

All About SoWal

Advertise or find a business, discuss business.

Business & Services

Jobs

Festivals, classes, gatherings, activities.

Events & Music

Food & Dining

Marketplace

property, realtors, builders, development, infrastructure ...

Real Estate

Long Term Rentals

Vacation Rentals

SoWal Lounge

dbuck

Beach Fanatic

There is some sort of bag that you can buy and the beetles flock to the bag. They say the bag fills up quickly - you pitch the bag and then put up another one.  I have not used one, but the beetles are bad around here this year and several people I know are using them.

Jdarg

SoWal Expert

[LEFT]The Louisville winter of '94 (minus 22 degrees and 26" of snow) killed our peach trees, then I yanked out about 50 rose bushes- and we didn't have a problem after that.  The beetles never bothered the rose of sharons- and I had lots of them.:idontno:    But once we got rid of their fave food (the roses and peaches), we were beetle-free![/LEFT]

<div style="text-align: left">The Louisville winter of &#039;94 (minus 22 degrees and 26&quot; of snow) killed our peach trees, then I yanked out about 50 rose bushes- and we didn&#039;t have a problem after that. The beetles never bothered the rose of sharons- and I had lots of them.:idontno: But once we got rid of their fave food (the roses and peaches), we were beetle-free!&#8203;</div>

Ocean Lover

bean

[quote="dbuck, post: 257664"]There is some sort of bag that you can buy and the beetles flock to the bag. They say the bag fills up quickly - you pitch the bag and then put up another one. I have not used one, but the beetles are bad around here this year and several people I know are using them.[/quote]
 
[COLOR=blue]I may look for these! Although I don't like the idea of changing a bag of beetles. Ick.[/COLOR]
 

[quote="jdarg, post: 257669"][LEFT]The Louisville winter of '94 (minus 22 degrees and 26" of snow) killed our peach trees, then I yanked out about 50 rose bushes- and we didn't have a problem after that. The beetles never bothered the rose of sharons- and I had lots of them.:idontno: But once we got rid of their fave food (the roses and peaches), we were beetle-free!
 
[/quote][/LEFT]

 
[COLOR=blue]I only have fairy roses and no peach trees! I am so not a gardener. My butterfly bush did not come back this year.:cry: Well it started to and then all the sudden the leaves curled up and died like some chemical got on them or something. You all know how I loved my butterflies. I will replace it but now is probably not a good time.[/COLOR]

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="dbuck">There is some sort of bag that you can buy and the beetles flock to the bag. They say the bag fills up quickly - you pitch the bag and then put up another one. I have not used one, but the beetles are bad around here this year and several people I know are using them.</blockquote> 
I may look for these! Although I don&#039;t like the idea of changing a bag of beetles. Ick. 
 
 
<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="jdarg"><div style="text-align: left">The Louisville winter of &#039;94 (minus 22 degrees and 26&quot; of snow) killed our peach trees, then I yanked out about 50 rose bushes- and we didn&#039;t have a problem after that. The beetles never bothered the rose of sharons- and I had lots of them.:idontno: But once we got rid of their fave food (the roses and peaches), we were beetle-free! 
 &#8203;</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left">&#8203;</div> 
 
I only have fairy roses and no peach trees! I am so not a gardener. My butterfly bush did not come back this year.:cry: Well it started to and then all the sudden the leaves curled up and died like some chemical got on them or something. You all know how I loved my butterflies. I will replace it but now is probably not a good time.

Mango

SoWal Insider

I usually deport them back to Japan. :lol: 
 
I did have a problem with them one year and I sprayed with soapy water several times. That kills them. I do know people have used those yellow banana bags with success, but I didn't want to attract more, so I tried washing their mouth out with soap first.

I usually deport them back to Japan. :lol: 
 
I did have a problem with them one year and I sprayed with soapy water several times. That kills them. I do know people have used those yellow banana bags with success, but I didn&#039;t want to attract more, so I tried washing their mouth out with soap first.

peapod1980

percy

[quote="Mango, post: 257675"]I usually deport them back to Japan. :lol: 
 
I did have a problem with them one year and I sprayed with soapy water several times. That kills them. I do know people have used those yellow banana bags with success, but I didn't want to attract more, so I tried washing their mouth out with soap first.[/quote]
She said [I]banana bags[/I]. :eek:  :floor: :funn:

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="Mango">I usually deport them back to Japan. :lol: 
 
I did have a problem with them one year and I sprayed with soapy water several times. That kills them. I do know people have used those yellow banana bags with success, but I didn&#039;t want to attract more, so I tried washing their mouth out with soap first.</blockquote>She said banana bags. 😱 :floor: :funn:

[quote="Mango, post: 257675"]I usually deport them back to Japan. :lol: 
 
I did have a problem with them one year and I sprayed with soapy water several times. That kills them. I do know people have used those yellow banana bags with success, but I didn't want to attract more, so I tried washing their mouth out with soap first.[/quote]
 
 
[COLOR=blue]:lolabove: I was just reading this..[url]http://thefuntimesguide.com/2005/07/bagabugbeetles.php[/url][/COLOR]
[COLOR=blue][/COLOR] 
[COLOR=blue]and it kind of creeps me out. It says you attract them from all over and the bag could be full in 5 hours:yikes: Double icky.[/COLOR]

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="Mango">I usually deport them back to Japan. :lol: 
 
I did have a problem with them one year and I sprayed with soapy water several times. That kills them. I do know people have used those yellow banana bags with success, but I didn&#039;t want to attract more, so I tried washing their mouth out with soap first.</blockquote> 
 
:lolabove: I was just reading this..<a href="http://thefuntimesguide.com/2005/07/bagabugbeetles.php" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="nofollow ugc noopener">http://thefuntimesguide.com/2005/07/bagabugbeetles.php</a> 
 
and it kind of creeps me out. It says you attract them from all over and the bag could be full in 5 hours:yikes: Double icky.

ATJoe

Beach Lover

[quote="Ocean Lover, post: 257674"][COLOR=blue]I may look for these! Although I don't like the idea of changing a bag of beetles. Ick.[/COLOR][/quote]
 
Wait til you get a whiff of that bag of dead beetles!! :yikes: :yikes: 
 
I wouldn't use these types of traps since beetles will come from all over to congregate and die in the bag. Inevitably many of these little bastards will not make it to the bag and end up covering all your prized vegetation. I can thank my former neighbor for that little bit of knowledge. :pissed:

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="Ocean Lover">I may look for these! Although I don&#039;t like the idea of changing a bag of beetles. Ick.</blockquote> 
Wait til you get a whiff of that bag of dead beetles!! :yikes: :yikes: 
 
I wouldn&#039;t use these types of traps since beetles will come from all over to congregate and die in the bag. Inevitably many of these little bastards will not make it to the bag and end up covering all your prized vegetation. I can thank my former neighbor for that little bit of knowledge. :pissed:

[quote="Ocean Lover, post: 257680"][COLOR=blue]:lolabove: I was just reading this..[URL]http://thefuntimesguide.com/2005/07/bagabugbeetles.php[/URL][/COLOR]

[COLOR=blue]and it kind of creeps me out. It says you attract them from all over and the bag could be full in 5 hours:yikes: Double icky.[/COLOR][/quote]
 
[B][I]Hysterical.........[/I][/B]:funn: 
 
Banana Bag is a powerful sexual attractant to both the male and the female beetles. By the looks of all the Japanese Beetles A) swarming around the one trap we have in the backyard and B) flying in droves from the nearby yards and over our fence to get to this trap, it's like they're saying, [B]"Hey, I heard the sex is REALLY good over here in THIS yard... follow me!"[/B]
:lolabove:

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="Ocean Lover">:lolabove: I was just reading this..<a href="http://thefuntimesguide.com/2005/07/bagabugbeetles.php" target="_blank" class="link link--external" rel="nofollow ugc noopener">http://thefuntimesguide.com/2005/07/bagabugbeetles.php</a> 
 
and it kind of creeps me out. It says you attract them from all over and the bag could be full in 5 hours:yikes: Double icky.</blockquote> 
Hysterical.........:funn: 
 
Banana Bag is a powerful sexual attractant to both the male and the female beetles. By the looks of all the Japanese Beetles A) swarming around the one trap we have in the backyard and B) flying in droves from the nearby yards and over our fence to get to this trap, it&#039;s like they&#039;re saying, &quot;Hey, I heard the sex is REALLY good over here in THIS yard... follow me!&quot; 
:lolabove:

shakennotstirred

[quote="Ocean Lover, post: 257674"][COLOR=blue] My butterfly bush did not come back this year.:cry: Well it started to and then all the sudden the leaves curled up and died like some chemical got on them or something. You all know how I loved my butterflies. I will replace it but now is probably not a good time.[/COLOR][/quote]
 
Mine died also as well as my SIL's in Ohio & friend in New Hampshire. I asked someone at the garden center about it and she said it was because of the 80 degree weather we had in April followed by the few days of snow. I miss it!

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="Ocean Lover"> My butterfly bush did not come back this year.:cry: Well it started to and then all the sudden the leaves curled up and died like some chemical got on them or something. You all know how I loved my butterflies. I will replace it but now is probably not a good time.</blockquote> 
Mine died also as well as my SIL&#039;s in Ohio &amp; friend in New Hampshire. I asked someone at the garden center about it and she said it was because of the 80 degree weather we had in April followed by the few days of snow. I miss it!

NoHall

hmmmm......can't remember

The bags can work well.  As has been mentioned, they can attract beetles from neighbors' yards like a keg party attracts teenagers, but then again, so will your tasty roses.

My advice, if you use the bags, is to put them on the outer edges of the property and change the bags frequently.  As for the smell of dead beetles, get some cheap 1-2 gallon ziploc bags.  When you have a full bag o' sexually frustrated beetles, drop the whole mess into the ziploc bag and seal it up.  It suffocates the bugs and seals in the smell.

Other options:  Insecticide.  Just google "japanese beetles" and insecticide, and you'll get a range of options.  I personally like Bayer products; their products are generally the safest. (For vertebrates, that is.  The stuff they sell is fatal to bugs.)

If you're the tree-hugger type (which is fine by me) you may look into using milky spores.  Won't do you any good this year, but is good for long-term control.

Of course, if you don't like any of those options, I have a client who sits out among his rosebushes and catches them with his pruners...:idontno:

The bags can work well. As has been mentioned, they can attract beetles from neighbors&#039; yards like a keg party attracts teenagers, but then again, so will your tasty roses. 
 
My advice, if you use the bags, is to put them on the outer edges of the property and change the bags frequently. As for the smell of dead beetles, get some cheap 1-2 gallon ziploc bags. When you have a full bag o&#039; sexually frustrated beetles, drop the whole mess into the ziploc bag and seal it up. It suffocates the bugs and seals in the smell. 
 
Other options: Insecticide. Just google &quot;japanese beetles&quot; and insecticide, and you&#039;ll get a range of options. I personally like Bayer products; their products are generally the safest. (For vertebrates, that is. The stuff they sell is fatal to bugs.) 
 
If you&#039;re the tree-hugger type (which is fine by me) you may look into using milky spores. Won&#039;t do you any good this year, but is good for long-term control. 
 
Of course, if you don&#039;t like any of those options, I have a client who sits out among his rosebushes and catches them with his pruners...:idontno:

[quote="Ocean Lover, post: 257674"][COLOR=blue] My butterfly bush did not come back this year.:cry: Well it started to and then all the sudden the leaves curled up and died like some chemical got on them or something. You all know how I loved my butterflies. I will replace it but now is probably not a good time.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

Butterfly bushes are bad to just up and die like that.

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="Ocean Lover"> My butterfly bush did not come back this year.:cry: Well it started to and then all the sudden the leaves curled up and died like some chemical got on them or something. You all know how I loved my butterflies. I will replace it but now is probably not a good time.</blockquote> 
Butterfly bushes are bad to just up and die like that.

[quote="shakennotstirred, post: 257706"]Mine died also as well as my SIL's in Ohio & friend in New Hampshire. I asked someone at the garden center about it and she said it was because of the 80 degree weather we had in April followed by the few days of snow. I miss it![/quote]
 
[quote="NoHall, post: 257731"]Butterfly bushes are bad to just up and die like that.[/quote]
 
 
[COLOR=blue]Hmmm, wow, so I didn't kill it? That's good to hear. I thought it was because I didn't trim it back at the right time.  I'll miss all the different kinds of butterflies it attracted.[/COLOR]

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="shakennotstirred">Mine died also as well as my SIL&#039;s in Ohio &amp; friend in New Hampshire. I asked someone at the garden center about it and she said it was because of the 80 degree weather we had in April followed by the few days of snow. I miss it!</blockquote> 
<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="NoHall">Butterfly bushes are bad to just up and die like that.</blockquote> 
 
Hmmm, wow, so I didn&#039;t kill it? That&#039;s good to hear. I thought it was because I didn&#039;t trim it back at the right time. I&#039;ll miss all the different kinds of butterflies it attracted.

[quote="NoHall, post: 257730"]The bags can work well. As has been mentioned, they can attract beetles from neighbors' yards like a keg party attracts teenagers, but then again, so will your tasty roses.
 
My advice, if you use the bags, is to put them on the outer edges of the property and change the bags frequently. As for the smell of dead beetles, get some cheap 1-2 gallon ziploc bags. When you have a full bag o' sexually frustrated beetles, drop the whole mess into the ziploc bag and seal it up. It suffocates the bugs and seals in the smell.
 
Other options: Insecticide. Just google "japanese beetles" and insecticide, and you'll get a range of options. I personally like Bayer products; their products are generally the safest. (For vertebrates, that is. The stuff they sell is fatal to bugs.)
 
If you're the tree-hugger type (which is fine by me) you may look into using milky spores. Won't do you any good this year, but is good for long-term control.
 
Of course, if you don't like any of those options, I have a client who sits out among his rosebushes and catches them with his pruners...:idontno:[/quote]
 
[COLOR=blue]I think this seals the deal. Insecticide is the way I'm going. Just thinking about a whole bag of live bugs gives me the heebie jeebies. I could give this job to Mr OL but even the thought of them being out there is enough to make me cringe.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=blue][/COLOR] 
[COLOR=blue]Thank you for all the great suggestions!!! NoHall, what do you do for a living?[/COLOR]

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="NoHall">The bags can work well. As has been mentioned, they can attract beetles from neighbors&#039; yards like a keg party attracts teenagers, but then again, so will your tasty roses. 
 
My advice, if you use the bags, is to put them on the outer edges of the property and change the bags frequently. As for the smell of dead beetles, get some cheap 1-2 gallon ziploc bags. When you have a full bag o&#039; sexually frustrated beetles, drop the whole mess into the ziploc bag and seal it up. It suffocates the bugs and seals in the smell. 
 
Other options: Insecticide. Just google &quot;japanese beetles&quot; and insecticide, and you&#039;ll get a range of options. I personally like Bayer products; their products are generally the safest. (For vertebrates, that is. The stuff they sell is fatal to bugs.) 
 
If you&#039;re the tree-hugger type (which is fine by me) you may look into using milky spores. Won&#039;t do you any good this year, but is good for long-term control. 
 
Of course, if you don&#039;t like any of those options, I have a client who sits out among his rosebushes and catches them with his pruners...:idontno:</blockquote> 
I think this seals the deal. Insecticide is the way I&#039;m going. Just thinking about a whole bag of live bugs gives me the heebie jeebies. I could give this job to Mr OL but even the thought of them being out there is enough to make me cringe. 
 
Thank you for all the great suggestions!!! NoHall, what do you do for a living?

[quote="Ocean Lover, post: 257759"][COLOR=blue]I think this seals the deal. Insecticide is the way I'm going. Just thinking about a whole bag of live bugs gives me the heebie jeebies. I could give this job to Mr OL but even the thought of them being out there is enough to make me cringe.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=blue]Thank you for all the great suggestions!!! NoHall, what do you do for a living?[/COLOR][/quote]
 
 
:D I'm a gardener.  
 
(But I have a B.S. in Philosophy, and am currently working on my master's in music ed...I'm kind of a weirdo.)

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="Ocean Lover">I think this seals the deal. Insecticide is the way I&#039;m going. Just thinking about a whole bag of live bugs gives me the heebie jeebies. I could give this job to Mr OL but even the thought of them being out there is enough to make me cringe. 
 
Thank you for all the great suggestions!!! NoHall, what do you do for a living?</blockquote> 
 
😀 I&#039;m a gardener. 
 
(But I have a B.S. in Philosophy, and am currently working on my master&#039;s in music ed...I&#039;m kind of a weirdo.)

Rita

margarita brocolia

Tell all your neighbors how great you've heard the traps are so they'll place the traps in [B]their[/B] yards!  BINGO! Your beetles go to the neighbors yards! :biggrin: 

.

Tell all your neighbors how great you&#039;ve heard the traps are so they&#039;ll place the traps in their yards! BINGO! Your beetles go to the neighbors yards! 😀 
 
.

[quote="Ocean Lover, post: 257756"][COLOR=blue]Hmmm, wow, so I didn't kill it? That's good to hear. I thought it was because I didn't trim it back at the right time. I'll miss all the different kinds of butterflies it attracted.[/COLOR][/quote]
 
I'll also miss your butterfly photos!

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="Ocean Lover">Hmmm, wow, so I didn&#039;t kill it? That&#039;s good to hear. I thought it was because I didn&#039;t trim it back at the right time. I&#039;ll miss all the different kinds of butterflies it attracted.</blockquote> 
I&#039;ll also miss your butterfly photos!

[quote="NoHall, post: 257785"]:D I'm a gardener. 
 
(But I have a B.S. in Philosophy, and am currently working on my master's in music ed...I'm kind of a weirdo.)[/quote]
 
:biggrin: 
 
[quote="Rita, post: 257786"]Tell all your neighbors how great you've heard the traps are so they'll place the traps in [B]their[/B] yards! BINGO! Your beetles go to the neighbors yards! :biggrin: 
 
.[/quote]
 
[COLOR=blue]Grayt idea!!!!![/COLOR]:clap: :funn: 
 
[quote="shakennotstirred, post: 257790"]I'll also miss your butterfly photos![/quote]
 
[COLOR=blue]Hopefully someone else will share this year![/COLOR]

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="NoHall">😀 I&#039;m a gardener. 
 
(But I have a B.S. in Philosophy, and am currently working on my master&#039;s in music ed...I&#039;m kind of a weirdo.)</blockquote> 
😀 
 
<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="Rita">Tell all your neighbors how great you&#039;ve heard the traps are so they&#039;ll place the traps in their yards! BINGO! Your beetles go to the neighbors yards! 😀 
 
.</blockquote> 
Grayt idea!!!!!:clap: :funn: 
 
<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="shakennotstirred">I&#039;ll also miss your butterfly photos!</blockquote> 
Hopefully someone else will share this year!

[quote="NoHall, post: 257730"]Other options: Insecticide. Just google "japanese beetles" and insecticide, and you'll get a range of options. I personally like Bayer products; [B]their products are generally the safest. (For vertebrates, that is. The stuff they sell is fatal to bugs[/B].)
 
If you're the tree-hugger type (which is fine by me) you may look into using [B]milky spores[/B]. Won't do you any good this year, but is good for long-term control.[/quote]
:floor: You so funny, NoHall.
I have a friend who only got rid of the beetles using insecticide, and now you're recommending it, so that's good enough for me.
Milky spores...come on, my kids are on this board!

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="NoHall">Other options: Insecticide. Just google &quot;japanese beetles&quot; and insecticide, and you&#039;ll get a range of options. I personally like Bayer products; their products are generally the safest. (For vertebrates, that is. The stuff they sell is fatal to bugs.) 
 
If you&#039;re the tree-hugger type (which is fine by me) you may look into using milky spores. Won&#039;t do you any good this year, but is good for long-term control.</blockquote>:floor: You so funny, NoHall. 
I have a friend who only got rid of the beetles using insecticide, and now you&#039;re recommending it, so that&#039;s good enough for me. 
Milky spores...come on, my kids are on this board!

[quote="peapod1980, post: 257922"]
Milky spores...come on, my kids are on this board![/QUOTE]

hee, hee...
:blush: :idontno: :wave:

<blockquote class="xfBb-quote" data-name="peapod1980">Milky spores...come on, my kids are on this board!</blockquote> 
hee, hee... 
:blush: :idontno: :wave:

[COLOR=blue]What is the best way to get rid of Japanese Beetles? An insecticide or a trap? They are just starting to get to my rose of sharon.[/COLOR]

What is the best way to get rid of Japanese Beetles? An insecticide or a trap? They are just starting to get to my rose of sharon.

Mermy and other gardeners!

Grayton BeachCam

Dune Allen BeachCam

Seagrove Beach SkyCam

Inlet BeachCam

Miramar BeachCam Majestic Sun

Santa Rosa BeachCam

Walton County Fair

The Red Bar Jazz Band

Cars of 30A At Alys Beach: Event Highlights & Photo Gallery

Sixth annual Run Watersound At Watersound Town Center October 24, 2026

Support Our Parks: The 2026 Friends of Camp Helen Pumpkin Patch Is Open

Annual Events and Festivals in South Walton

International Coastal Cleanup Day Was A Success In South Walton

Merchants Of Alys Beach Announce New Dining & Shopping Options

No beachcams yet

More cams

Include enough context for a reply on the first pass: who you are, what this is about, and anything time-sensitive we should know.

Write a clear note and we will route it fast

SoWal Contact Form

What helps the SoWal team reply on the first pass

Use these links when your request already has a clear destination.

Prefer a direct route before you write?

Use this when you are not sure where your request belongs and need the SoWal team to route it.

Questions, corrections, and quick help

Share newsworthy updates, corrections, community tips, or photography that can improve SoWal coverage.

Story tips, local leads, and photos

Reach the team for business visibility, partnership planning, or other commercial opportunities.

Listings, sponsorships, and business requests

Use this path for media coordination, press follow-ups, or requests that need a communications contact.

Press outreach and interview requests

Tell us what you need and how to reach you.

Send your note here and the SoWal team will route it appropriately.

Choose the quickest route for your message

Forum account areas

Log in to view member profile, alerts, messages, watched content, bookmarks, preferences, and staff tools.

Member-only forum areas use your SoWal forum account.

Use your forum username or email to post, reply, follow threads, and manage your account.

Log in to the forum

Log in to the SoWal forum

Find people and visit their public forum profiles.

Members

Enter the six-digit code sent to {email}.

Check your email

Join the conversation

Welcome to SoWal

Sign in to SoWal

Signature preview

Ads support our local stories, BeachCams, and community guides. If you use an ad blocker, allow SoWal, then check again.

Help keep SoWal local

Your feedback helps us make SoWal better.

How was this story?

Get local stories, events, and South Walton highlights in your inbox.

Stay close to the coast

Choose whether SoWal may use optional cookies. Necessary cookies keep the site working.

Your privacy, your choice

Site navigation

Submenu

Bite-sized stories, curated itineraries, and community events delivered to your inbox on the regular.

Mermy and other gardeners!

Latest conversations

Write a reply

Cars of 30A At Alys Beach: Event Highlights & Photo Gallery

Sixth annual Run Watersound At Watersound Town Center October 24, 2026

Support Our Parks: The 2026 Friends of Camp Helen Pumpkin Patch Is Open

Annual Events and Festivals in South Walton