Vine Weevils

[veg4681]

Anybody has any tips on how we can avoid these blighters damaging plants like your potted strawberry? I was wondering if covering the exposed soil with plastic would stop the vine weevil eggs penetrating into the soil and roots. Above all it would be nice to avoid resorting to any chemical solution called Nema something.

[valmarg]

It's difficult veg, but what we do is to take the plants out of the compost and rinse the roots in an Armillatox solution. If you go to armillatox.com you will find the dilution rates for all purposes, including soil sterilisation against vine weevil eggs.

valmarg

[veg4681]

It's difficult veg, but what we do is to take the plants out of the compost and rinse the roots in an Armillatox solution. If you go to armillatox.com you will find the dilution rates for all purposes, including soil sterilisation against vine weevil eggs.

valmarg

Thanks for the pointer to Armillatox as I've never come across it before until now. Funny thing is I don't think I've ever had problem with vine weevil before but this year is an important year growing strawberry and the last thing I was is this nasty beast ruining my chance of harvesting my first ever home grown berries (okay forget gooseberry , not exactly the tastiest berry).

I've always had hanging basket (busy lizzies), they have never been affected but since last year, I have a lot more potted plants as that is supposed to provide these maggoty beasties with a 5-star heaven. I may have had the predator beetles in my garden that is supposed to devour vine beetles in all its stages of life.

How do you buy the Armillatox as there are no price or stockists?

[gardenplot]

When i was re-potting i found 2 Vine Weevils in one pot, so i carried on looking in all my pots & tubs but lucky only found the 2, not sure if they lay eggs!! Didn’t see any i have also found these in the ground when been digging over.

thanks for that tip valmarg

[veg4681]

When i was re-potting i found 2 Vine Weevils in one pot, so i carried on looking in all my pots & tubs but lucky only found the 2, not sure if they lay eggs!! Didn’t see any i have also found these in the ground when been digging over.

thanks for that tip valmarg

I have been reading up on them on the Net (oh paranoid me!), the vine weevils are all female and don't need male to produce the eggs and they'll lay between 900 to 1000 by just a single evil weevil from Jun to Oct or even Nov depending on the mildness of weather. Also try introducing as many predators (the canivorous one) for vine weevils as possible in the garden. I shall now be looking out for them but I've never found one in the soil or pots though. Still no reason to slack, heard they can crawl 3 miles in one year.

[gardenplot]

I have been reading up on them on the Net (oh paranoid me!), the vine weevils are all female and don't need male to produce the eggs and they'll lay between 900 to 1000 by just a single evil weevil from Jun to Oct or even Nov depending on the mildness of weather. Also try introducing as many predators (the canivorous one) for vine weevils as possible in the garden. I shall now be looking out for them but I've never found one in the soil or pots though. Still no reason to slack, heard they can crawl 3 miles in one year.

wow the little blighters will be keeping my eye out for them now with finding 2

[Alison]

Above all it would be nice to avoid resorting to any chemical solution called Nema something.

If you're thinking of Nemasys it's a biological control and it contains the naturally occurring parasitic nematode of vine weevil - Steinernema Kraussei. Basically, each pack contains millions of these microscopic nematodes that kill vine weevil grubs. Once applied, the nematodes seek out the vine weevil larvae and on contact enter the body cavity to release a bacteria which turns the inside of the larvae into soup, which the nematode then feed on. Having destroyed the larvae the nematodes are released back into the soil to hunt down more larvae to feed on. Once a larvae has been infected it takes 2 weeks for it to die during which time the larvae turns brown and papery. Bit yucky but definitely not chemical . Not used it myself but guess it's pretty similar to the Nematodes you can use for slugs which aren't cheap but some people swear by.

[ratglass]

Hi veg4681

I had huge problems with vine weevils in my straws in 2006 so last year did use the biological control. It was a bit expensive but really worked-no problems at all and the previous year I lost all but 2 of my strawberry plants. You use it in exactly the same way as the slug control. I get mine from Green gardener. I also cover the soil around the plants with a thin layer of gravel which stops the weevils being able to lay the eggs in the first place. By the way the eggs are tiny so you won't see them in the soil.

[veg4681]

If you're thinking of Nemasys it's a biological control and it contains the naturally occurring parasitic nematode of vine weevil - Steinernema Kraussei. Basically, each pack contains millions of these microscopic nematodes that kill vine weevil grubs. Once applied, the nematodes seek out the vine weevil larvae and on contact enter the body cavity to release a bacteria which turns the inside of the larvae into soup, which the nematode then feed on. Having destroyed the larvae the nematodes are released back into the soil to hunt down more larvae to feed on. Once a larvae has been infected it takes 2 weeks for it to die during which time the larvae turns brown and papery. Bit yucky but definitely not chemical . Not used it myself but guess it's pretty similar to the Nematodes you can use for slugs which aren't cheap but some people swear by.

Thanks for your descriptive account with the use of Nemasy. Don't feel sorry for the maggots to die horribly like that though . They can be so destructive perhaps the biological control is one of the best way. I may put most of my strawberry on the roof of the shed but I guess the adult vine weevils are still able to crawl up .

Hi veg4681

I had huge problems with vine weevils in my straws in 2006 so last year did use the biological control. It was a bit expensive but really worked-no problems at all and the previous year I lost all but 2 of my strawberry plants. You use it in exactly the same way as the slug control. I get mine from Green gardener. I also cover the soil around the plants with a thin layer of gravel which stops the weevils being able to lay the eggs in the first place. By the way the eggs are tiny so you won't see them in the soil.

Now that's a terrible destruction to your strawberry plants. When you say straws, I'm guessing you grew yours in the ground. From what I heard, strawberry grown in ground aren't as vulnerable as those grown in pots. Another method is to surround the pots with sticky tape (that you can buy) to stop the adult vine beetles from climbing up into the pots, a bit like your copper tape to stop the slugs. Sometimes even that won't be enough as they could already be in the soil or compost (bougth compost at that ). Maybe just release a bunch of the centipedes into the pot of strawberry to feast on the maggots and eggs.

[valmarg]

We don't grow an enormous number of strawberry plants, hence the rinsing of the roots in Armillatox, and planting up in fresh compost.

Vine weevils have a number of 'favourite' plants. Busy lizzie, fuchsias and begonia are some of them, and also strawberries.

With the 'ornamentals' I would have no difficulty using Provado Vine Weevil Killer. Also, where we see evidence on shrubs of the adult 'notching' of the leaves we would spray with a systemic insecticide in order to kill the adults.

With regard to the nematodes, when they were first introduced, they were no good for the garden, since they would be killed off during the Winter. I understand there are hardier varieties now available, but they are extremely expensive.

If I find an adult, they do make a lovely 'crunch' as you crush them. If I find any of the grubs, I put them in a saucer under the nut feeder in the garden. They don't last long!!

valmarg

[SueA]

I have problems with vine weevils every now & then & have used the nematodes in the past. You have to wait until the soil warms up , usually around April ,before you can use them though other wise they will not work. The adult weevils are one of the only things (along with lily beetles )which I crush if I see them. They get everywhere so it doesn't matter how high up you put your strawberries as they will climb walls etc. I've even found them in the bathroom once or twice & have no idea how they got in there!

[veg4681]

Got the Vine Weevils already!

Opened a new thread for this for ATTENTION!

So gutted!!!! Found one vine weevil on the leaf of a recently repotted strawberry which are last year's plants, not runners. Totally devasted, wondered if it has contaminated the window boxes of runners sitting next to them which had been looking healthy. It only occured to me to check the plants as I thought the leaves were looking a bit brown/yellow.

The annoying thing is that I also tipped the contaminated strawberry soil in the raised bed to repot with bought compost so I imagine there are already vine weevils eggs in that soil .

Is it too early to use the Nemasys yet seeing as we have mild weather already? Is it cheaper to buy online or do GC and DIY store sell for similar price. Also is it still possible to save the contaminated strawberry plants?