eeeeeeeeeeeeevil weeeeeeeeeeeevils

[Mrs Ava]

Whilst sorting out my wee sedums today, as usual for me, I unearthed plenty of these little sweethearts.



Vine weevil grubs.  Like little white maggots, C shaped, with creamy coloured heads.  Munch the roots clean away from things like primulas, sedums, strawbs and fuschias.  The mum is a greyish coloured beetle, and they crunch well when crushed.  The grubs on the other hand give a rather satisfying squelch!  :P

[Mrs Ava]

[sunflower]

My garden got infested by them last summer after i bought a clematis from a garden centre, munched all the roots on my busy lizzes even manged to get into my flower pouches damm things. Gonna zab them this year ;D

[Beer_Belly]

A pal of mine has a trained Robin - The robin knows that if he's on his plot and there's a blue tray out he can find lots of tasty grubs in the tray.

Looks like you need one of those EJ.
-B_B-

[rosebud]

EJ THOSE BLASTED WEEVILS devoured one of my favourite
fuschias last year it was disappearing before my eyes by the time i found out what it was my plant had most of the roots eaten. :'(
I have bought a vine weevil killer to water into my baskets and pots this year .I like you have already found a small amount , but i have squashed them :o.  i shall keep a very close eye on my lovely fuschias from now on. cheers Rosebud. ;D

[Garden Manager]

I too have this problem. It started with a couple of fuschias and has snowballed in the past year.

Mine seem to have taken a particular liking to evening primrose. I found at least a dozen in one small pot recently.

Its funny though how picky they can be. They can completely destroy one plant but leave the one next to it of the same species untouched.

Troubel is with milder winters they are not being killed off by the cold.
Organic as i try to be i fear i shall soon have to resort to chemical warfare against the blighters.  >:(

[Gardengirl]

I have quite a few standard fuchsias which I have grown myself, but I have no problem keeping them as I use **Plant Protection Compost each year (Levingtons I think).  It costs a few quid but I think it is worth it to save my treasured plants.  I also use it in tubs where I have buzy lizzies, begonias and pansies as the little devils will devour the roots of these as well. :o

** Now called Insect Control Compost by Levingtons

[Garden Manager]

Heres a thing. Do our native birds eat vine weevils? Being a 'foreigner' they might not be to the birds liking/taste  ???  ???

For this reason i destroy any grubs i find rather than leaving them for the birds somewhere.

[kenkew]

EJ: Now that's what I call good informative pic's and info. Anyone not sure before of what to look for has no excuse now. Any more bug pic's anyone? (Goodies and baddies.)

[eileen]

Tried to get a piccie of my newly arrived pondskaters to show you all but nearly ended up in the water myself!  ::)  :P

Bl..dy crutches and leg brace make things a real pain, they're doing my head in.  >:(

Eileen.

[allotment_chick]

Eurgh - bl**dy ghastly, aren't they!  

Chickens are apparently very effective against vine weevil as I understand they are partial to both grubs and adults!

However, as keeping chickens is rather impractical here I find Provado very effective and also useful against sciarid fly - not remotely organic and DO NOT use on anything edible - but this is war!  

http://www.pbi.co.uk/products.php?pID=170

[Granny_Smith]

Did you know that no-one has ever found a male of this weevil species - they are all female and born ready to reproduce.

[allotment_chick]

They are all female indeed GS - the epitome of evil girl power......aka parthogenesis.  
AC

[Tenuse]

I've used a biological control called Nemasys which works well, have not had any eeevil weevils for the two seasons I've used it (had plenty before!)

Ten x