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My mom and I have both noticed that the Japanese Beetles are crazy for the cream-colored zinnias we planted in our gardens this year.
The beetles that visit my yard every summer have usually been too busy munching on roses, hollyhocks, morning glories and large marigolds to do any major damage to zinnias. These must be a tasty exception. I have a half-dozen flowers that look just like this:
Now that they’ve devoured all but two blooms, they are moving on to the reds:
I’m sure if I planted a clump of cream-colored zinnias to pacify them next summer they would suddenly develop a hankering for some other plant. After 10 years of battling the beasts, I know better than to try to guess their next move.