Zinnias and Japanese Beetles

I picked Japanese beetles off my zinnias this morning. Interesting that they were only on the zinnias ... not on the bush beans or the yellow squash directly adjacent. I did a little google search. It turns out that Japanese beetles LOVE zinnias! Good or bad idea in the garden? Will they attract more beetles than normal into the garden? Or will the beetles go to the zinnias as a preferred snack, leaving my green beans and other edible goodies alone? So called "trap cropping".

One thing's for sure ... the chickens LOVE Japanese beetles! And I love my zinnias. They produce bright, perky flowers that add riotous color to the garden and long-lasting beauty to bouquets we enjoy indoors. Plus, they do attract beneficial creatures as well as the bad beetles, such as wasps, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Especially important:  They attract natural pollinators.

This is the first time I've planted zinnias next to my food crops in the raised beds. I had zinnias planted on the outside edge of my garden last year, and never saw any Japanese beetles on them. Certain caterpillars, however, did feast on them.