The invasion has begun. Noticed a few on my apple trees and snow peas last night.

What are the time tested methods for removal besides hand picking? I would prefer an organic solution if possible.

Milky Spore. Probably won't help this year, but will for the next 10-20

The battle is on here in Missouri too. Noticed a few last week, now they're after our green beans en force. Tried some insecticidal soap last night... now we have very clean, shiny Japanese beetles.

One interesting observation though. Last week we had about ten 5-gal buckets sitting out in the yard full of water (fighting drought here). They were various colors, white, blue, yellow. All of the yellow ones had 15-20 drowned Japanese beetles in them, while either none or at most one or two in any of the other colors. I think I inadvertently invented a Japanese beetle trap. Gonna set some yellow buckets out tonight.

Yeah, I didn't have my expectations set too high. Just figured it was worth a shot before bringing in any heavy artillery. Japanese beetles are tough bastards.

We (reluctantly) dusted with Sevin this morning. Beetles left the beans, flew 10 yards to the grapes and resumed feasting.
War is waged.

you might want to try the collection bags (phermone traps), but place them at some distance from what you are trying to protect. I wish they would make a camo version I could sneek into my neighbors shrubs.

Pheromone Japanese beetle traps are the worst thing that you can introduce into your yard.

Japanese beetles are attracted to various plants.

I stopped using JB traps many years ago. I removed Althea, and lost many roses that they preferred. I still have a few roses.

The drought last year according to the state University Entimologists may have enterupted their life cycle for this year. There is a University Agri Farm less than 1/2 mile from us.

They were using the JB beetle traps when the bugs appeared about ten years ago. They used them for maybe two years and discontinued them.

I had the same experience. Just don't attract them. When I used the bags, they would become overfilled within 24 hours, then the bugs would nip through the bag at the funnelled neck and escape.

The smell of hundreds of dead JB's is the worst!!!

I spray with Sevin when I see JB's.

If you have plants on the list that JB's favor then, I would suggest you watch them daily and prepare accordingly.

I spray my crepe myrtle and roses when I spray my garden, and more frequently if I encounter JB's.

More plants

Thanks for all the responses!

I am currently trying a concoction of Neem Oil and Incesticidal Soap from a hand sprayer. They seem to fall off or fly away when directly sprayed. I will start hand picking too like I did last year. SHould keep them under control pretty well.

One interesting observation, I have two Honeycrisp and one Macintosh apple tree. They do not touch the Macintosh but would devour all the leaves on the Honeycrisp if I let them go. Anyone heard of them liking select varieties?