Within 7–21 days the grub will eventually die and as the grub decomposes, billions of new spores are released into the soil. This ingestion of the spore by the host activates reproduction of the bacteria inside the grub. Resident spores in the soil are swallowed by grubs during their normal pattern of feeding on roots. This is also the optimal time frame for turf inoculation or applications with milky spore to increase milky spore in the soil environment (there are product specific guidelines that should be followed for milky spore application). In August, when the grubs are close to the surface and feeding, they are vulnerable to infestation by milky spore. As the weather gets cooler and winter approaches, the grubs go deeper into the soil, and feeding declines as they over-winter. The eggs hatch soon afterwards and in this larval or grub stage, they feed on the roots of grass and other plants. During this adult stage, the beetles also mate and the females lay eggs in the soil in late July to early August. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for St Gabriel Organic 80010-9 10 oz Milky Spore Concentrate Grub Control Powder at the best. The adult Japanese beetles pupate in July (in the Northeast United States) and feed on flowers and leaves of shrubs and garden plants. It is responsible for a disease (commonly called milky spore) of the white grubs of Japanese beetles. Plant non-target species in your yard and garden.Īmerican chestnut, American elm, linden, American mountain ash, apple, birch, black cherry, echinacea, flowering crab-apple, grapes, hollyhock, horse chestnut, lawns/grass, Norway Maple, plum, roses, walnut.Īmerican elder, white cedar, black oak, box elder, common lilac, euonymus, fir, green ash, hemlock, holly, juniper, pine, red maple, red oak, rhododendron, scarlet oak, silver maple, spruce, white ash, white oak, white poplar, yew.Paenibacillus popilliae (formerly Bacillus popilliae) is a soil-dwelling, Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium.Apply milky spore in August when grubs are close to the soil surface and actively feeding.Do not dump bucket until the beetles are dead. Knock beetles off into bucket of water and allow them to drown. When the adults emerge in June, go out in the dark with a bucket of soapy water to areas of suspect invasion.Apply beneficial nematodes when the soil temps are above 45 degrees F and ensure soil is kept moist for the weeks following.Used in combination with other biological control agents and mechanical tools, success will be observed readily. Milky spore is best used as part of a complete management strategy that employs more than one method of control. Management Strategies for Japanese Beetles PVC Milky Spore Powder Dispenser for Grub Elimination and Ground Mole. The grubs must ingest the spore for it to be effective. As a subscriber you will discover sensible ideas and practical guides for solving a myriad of smart home related tasks. Water in the spore so that the material penetrates the soil, working its way down to where the juvenile grubs are feeding on the root system. This means you usually only need to apply milky spore once.įor a more targeted approach, apply milky spore powder around the base of infected plants. The spore reproduces itself by several billion in a short period of time and the effectiveness can last up to 10 years. Once the host is dead, the spores contained inside are released as the body decomposes. The gaps in between application lines will be inoculated naturally as the grubs ingest the spore and it reproduces inside the host body, killing it within 7-21 days. Be sure not to mow the lawn until you’ve completed this step. (It will look like a grid pattern when you’re finished.) Next, water in the spore so it can reach the grubs in the soil. Apply one teaspoon of milky spore powder to your turf or garden every four feet in rows four feet apart. It is very easy to apply using a commercial dust dispenser or a similar, homemade device. Milky spore is readily available online, and at many garden centers.