DEAR SUN SPOTS: I was concerned by your response to the gardener who wanted to keep Japanese beetles off her rose bushes. It’s important for home gardeners to be aware that we are currently in the midst of a worldwide die-off of insects so severe that many scientists are referring to it as an “insect apocalypse.” It’s also important to realize that life on Earth, including human life, depends on the work of insects. Any treatment to kill grubs in the soil will likely kill not just Japanese beetle grubs, but also grubs of many other beetles and perhaps also larvae of ground-nesting pollinators like native bees.

A more ecologically sound way of controlling those annoying Japanese beetles is to drown them before they have a chance to reproduce. I keep a covered container with water and a little bit of dish detergent near my rose bushes (I use a quart yogurt container), and each day during the beetle season, I spend a few minutes knocking beetles off the roses and into the container. It doesn’t completely eliminate them, but it does greatly reduce their numbers and the damage to plants. — Ecological gardener, Poland

ANSWER: Thank you for this important information. It is indeed a far better solution. We also got this great advice:

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Japanese beetles! They are a problem here in Litchfield for years. I haven’t had much success with traps, but I had a great deal of success with them this year. The beetles destroy my raspberries. I learned that by using a quart spray bottle with two ounces of olive oil and the remainder with tap water, sprayed directly on them, it immediately disables them, and they die within 5-10 minutes. The main issue with the solution is water and oil do not mix, so I needed to constantly shake the container. Supposedly, a drop or two of dish detergent will emulsify the oil with the water, but I didn’t like the idea of my berries tasting soapy.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name. We will not use it if you ask us not to. Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.