evil weevils on brassicas

[dawndaisy]

Hope someone can help with some pest advice.
Ive noticed some dull brown weevils/beetles on my brassicas. They are about 2-3 mm long, have weevil like mouthparts, crawl slowly, and dont jump when disturbed. Im sure theyre not flea beetles (Ive met them before and they have different mouthparts)

They are easy to pick off my few plants and have only appeared in the last week or two. I know they are eating my brassicas as they squash with a cabbage green residue.(I might grow organically but it doeasnt mean Im soft) The plants have a few holes in them but nothing like you get with flea beetle (yet).

Thanks for any help. Im sorry all my posts are questions and I dont answer posts for help, but Im still learning.
Dawndaisy

[rustylady]

Where are your brassicas growing? Pots or open ground?

[dawndaisy]

they are growing in the ground in an edged bed. Thet are not covered, so I pick off eggs and caterillers as I find them. Thats how I found the beetle things. they are quite well hidden , only one or two on each plant, often at the point where the stem turns into a leaf, but also anywhere else on the leaf.

[rustylady]

First thought was Vine Weevil, but they are much bigger, and usually attack plants in pots and containers - which is why I asked where your plants were growing. Been googling and found this site - think it might be the third one down. Beetles - Weevils

[Two_Sheds]

Ive noticed some dull brown weevils/beetles on my brassicas.

They have a pointy snout then?

[dawndaisy]

You may have found the culprit Rustylady. All those weevils look the same but this is about the right size and on the right plant. i think Ill stick to calling them evil weevils though, which is a bit easier than the latin name.
Im deffinately going to get some enviromesh next year. Ive just pulled a lovely looking cabbage for tea only to find it covered in caperpillar poo even though there was only one caperpillar on it. Thanks for your input. I know all i can do is pick them off, but wish there was an easier way till I get my enviromesh.
Dawndaisy

[dawndaisy]

Yes they do have a pointy snout, but theyre quite small so hard to see. Any ideas Two sheds?

[Two_Sheds]

Well done Rusty?

Ceutorhynchus napi, aka rape stem weevil (feeds on cruciferous plants). However, this site says it's not present in this country...?


Could it be cabbage stem weevil ceutorhynchus pallidactylus?

[dawndaisy]

Ok then. Ill officially name them Dawns Evil Weevils until I know better. At least my idea of a wildlife friendly garden is a reality. Its just the wrong sort of wildlife.

[rustylady]

Well done Rusty?

Ceutorhynchus napi, aka rape stem weevil (feeds on cruciferous plants). However, this site says it's not present in this country...?

The site I found is based in this country, East Lincolnshire.

[rustylady]

Ive just pulled a lovely looking cabbage for tea only to find it covered in caperpillar poo even though there was only one caperpillar on it.

Caterpillar poo is technically known as frass, and I know it doesn't look very nice but it does wash off easily. At least you know your veg aren't contaminated by chemicals, which don't wash off.

[Two_Sheds]

I'm still looking, I just found this: "Numbers of rape winter stem weevil are currently increasing in the infested areas of the Midlands and East Anglia ... the ...damaging rape stem weevil (Ceutorhynchus napi) may also have migrated to the UK" Report is dated 2007

"Up until 1982 this pest was relatively uncommon in the UK, but has increased locally in parts of Lincolnshire, as far north as Scotland and may be becoming more common in East Anglia"
More info and photo on here

[dawndaisy]

I really dont think it matters too much what they are. Any organic ideas for getting rid of them? I used to give my youngest 1p for each slug she found, but I dont think she'll be so keen to catch Evil weevils. Maybe i should stop the slug money and spend it on the enviromesh for next year.

[Two_Sheds]

I really dont think it matters too much what they are.

It does though: if it's previously unknown in the UK, you might make the 6 o'clock news

I'm also just interested. It's looking like it very well could be the one that Rusty found (Rape stem weevil)

[dawndaisy]

Maybe I should send you one to help you investigate. If I knew how to post photos, or even load them onto the computer, it might help. Only joking about sending you one. I was tempted to offer to send a free weevil to anyone interested, but I dont think Id have many takers.