A question for those of you with multiple varieties and June beetles

[efBobby]

This came up in a different discussion but do they seem to go for the more aromatic varieties first?

 

[efBobby]

Reason I ask is it seems like they prefer more aromatic varieties first.

I’m working on a large project involving native vines but if there is anything to this then I could tether them and use the beetles like bloodhounds sniffing out the tastier berried vines!

 

[Rice_Guy]

I assume you mean Japanese beetles.
The Japanese beetle will feed on the younger,, less woody,, sweeter plant material first. This means they feed the top of the grape vine and progress downward as leaves are skeletonized. On a July berry as raspberry they congregate on the ripe fruit, and I have seen them tear into nectarines as they ripen too.
To your hope, there is japanese beetle on concord but not as bad. Of the northern vinifera hybrid grape varieties I have not seen a preference. The one wild grape on the property also gets infected.

 

[efBobby]

June bugs(larger green beetles) seem to go after the fruit

 

[Rice_Guy]

? metallic green beetle about 3/8 inch long ? , , and this year they showed up last week of June and are still happily eating grape leaves , ,= Japanese beetle

June bugs(larger green beetles) seem to go after the fruit

? not the 1/2 inch long fat brown beetle which shows up late May? ,,, I haven’t had june beetle damage ever

 

[VillaVino]

I find the JB like my Prairie Star, Marquette, Brianna and Lacresent and tend to not bother my Sabrevious and Louise Swensons as much. My grapes are very vigorous and have to hedge them 2-3 times a season. Leaving the JBs on the leaves helps control the vigor. Closer to harvest, I’m out there spraying almost weekly. Does anyone know if JBs spread mildews? I was lucky this year and must have hit my spraying just right because I have very little mildew at all but in years past, I’ve always wondered if the mildew is spread around by those little devils.