The collecting of apples, peaches, melons, tomatoes, and other decomposing fruits and vegetables and by burying deep in the soil or destroying is needed to eliminate beetle food sources. Baits Research has shown that picnic beetles prefer banana, whole wheat bread dough, and muskmelon. As a bait, muskmelon rinds or pineapple scraps, sprinkled with a pesticide, kills the strawberry sap beetle and other scavenger beetles attracted to the fruits and vegetables. Take extra precautions to keep treated baits away from humans, domestic animals and other non-target organisms. Bait trapping shows some promise in the reduction of beetle populations.
Place traps several feet away from the picnic table or outside the garden.
Discard trap contents frequently, every three or four days, and rebait traps with pineapple scraps and a bait consisting of stale beer, vinegar, molasses and water with yeast. However, no pesticides are legally labeled for home owner use. Sprays Raspberries can be protected somewhat with repeat sprays of malathion as sap beetles begin to enter the fields. Treat three to five days before the first picking date. Use malathion 25 percent WP at the rate of four to five pounds per 100 gallons of water.