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Date Posted

Bloomington, IN

Any idea how to get and keep them out without harming the plants?

7/15/2008 8:26:22 PM

Bloomington, IN

I only see them in the tassels, which are not fully formed yet. I have an insecticidal soap to spray the leaves with, but I don't know if its safe to spray the tassels with it.

7/15/2008 9:16:28 PM

Williamsburg,KY

The tassels hold the pollen, the pollen falls onto the silks and makes the kernels. I would say the japanese beetles are moving around and making the pollen fall off onto the silks. I wouldnt spray if it was me. Each silk is like a little tube, when the pollen falls on tothe silk the pollen fall into the tube and make a kernel..each kernel as its own silk. If pollen doesnt fall onto the silk there will be no kernel, that is why some corn is not completely full.

7/16/2008 7:55:40 AM

Bloomington, IN

Well, the tassels aren't fully developed yet and the plants are probably about a week or so away from silking. The beetles don't appear to be doing any damage to the corn itself, but the corn is harboring a lot of them. They have been damaging surrounding plants though, but they haven't touched the plants I've sprayed with the insecticidal soap.

7/16/2008 8:15:44 AM