The Bugs, They are Here
Must be summer. The pests are here.
None that I didn't expect, but I really dislike Japanese beetles. Trap went out today after Gwyn got smacked by a rogue while walking. Sure enough - they're infesting the elms. So the elms got dusted with carbaryl dust which is highly effective. The trap ought to keep the rest to a minimum.
Then I confirmed what I've suspected for a while, that I've got damned iris borers again. Dug out and killed 3 of the grubs - hopefully that's the limits of the damage, but I doubt it.
Never, EVER buy iris in the spring or summer from anyone who hasn't cut all the foliage back and you've carefully inspected the bare rhizomes! Each time I've bought from the iris lady, I've infested my bed with borer. The one I bought 3 years ago hadn't thrived, and I'd begun to suspect it had borer. Sure enough, found several plants so now I'm on an agressive hunt to trim and damaged foliage, put it in the trash, and trim down to the rhizome itself if I have to. There's no way to spray these - the only thing to do is dig up the entire bed this fall and clean up everything.
Which, honestly, I'd planned on anyhow, since the beds are becoming crowded. But it's a ripping pain and will take the better part of 2 days, minimum.