Traps for adult vine weevils?

Misslayed · 6 March 2017 at 9:37PM

I've just spread 99,999,999 vine weevil munching nematodes around my garden and greenhouse, but I reckoned I need to try a squish the adults too. I googled 'adult vine weevil traps' and found some VERY expensive bits of wood with grooves full of nematodes in gel which attack the adults, plus a quite old post extolling the virtues of an idea mooted by Alan Titchmarsh. It claims I need a 14inch square piece of corrugated cardboard, rolled into a loose tube and placed amongst the foliage where they are active. The little minkies will crawl in and hide in there, all I need to do is tap it every morning, they fall out and I ceremonially dispatch them to vine weevil heaven. Just wondered if anyone has any experience/success with either of these methods, or any other ideas?

Davesnave · 8 March 2017 at 10:02AM

Speaking as an ex-nurseryman, I always wondered whose side the vine weevil was on.

On the one hand I had to zap them every autumn with nematodes, but on the other, they ensured plenty of repeat business!

Aren't herbivorous dinosaurs more of an issue down on the Jurassic Coast?

Misslayed · 8 March 2017 at 10:24AM

[\QUOTE]Aren't herbivorous dinosaurs more of an issue down on the Jurassic Coast?

[/QUOTE]

Nah, planted garlic, keeps them away. Cheap and effective.

My gardening correspondent is negotiating the vending of corrugated cardboard as I type, I'll report back on its efficacy. Or otherwise! Since I posted this I recalled an acquaintance, who was a sea captain on super yachts (belonging to the mega rich), telling me that all supplies had to be unboxed on the quayside as corrugated card was banned on board because of the risk of cockroaches hitching a lift in the corrugations. So maybe there's something in it.

Farway · 8 March 2017 at 3:33PM

I know cardboard corrugations are used as traps for earwigs

Gardening being what it is, and sod's law likewise, you will probably get every creature, including herbivorous dinosaurs, but excluding vine weevils in the tubes

thegirlsmum · 11 March 2017 at 4:08PM

i have just noticed 2 of my mini rhodedendrons (in the ground for 2 years) are being eaten by something. the holes are in the actual leaves not around the edges.i have 3 other rhodedendrons all in the same area but no problems with these.
could they be vine weevils? i'm not into squashing bugs or shaking umbrellas etc, so what can i just sprinkle or water onto them? or can i evern buy such a product?

Farway · 12 March 2017 at 4:14PM

thegirlsmum wrote: »

i have just noticed 2 of my mini rhodedendrons (in the ground for 2 years) are being eaten by something. the holes are in the actual leaves not around the edges.i have 3 other rhodedendrons all in the same area but no problems with these.
could they be vine weevils? i'm not into squashing bugs or shaking umbrellas etc, so what can i just sprinkle or water onto them? or can i evern buy such a product?

Not sure what the holes are casued by, but I would tend to ignore them, rhodedendrons are tough plants

And even if it were vine weevils, because your plants are in open ground and not pots there are plenty of predators that will find and love a juicy vine weevil grub for lunch MT8TBDBwlwpoBAAAAAAAAAAAAADARa9ytj0FAAAA0HxiNAX+MTsjVQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==

MT8TBDBwlwpoBAAAAAAAAAAAAADARa9ytj0FAAAA0HxiNAX+MTsjVQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==

thegirlsmum · 12 March 2017 at 5:40PM

excellent. northern ireland does really with rhododendrons and I have quite a few that are varying sizes. just this was the first time i noticed these holes. goodness knows but there are plenty of birds so hopefully they willhelp. thanks

silverwhistle · 14 March 2017 at 1:17PM

Misslayed wrote: »

that all supplies had to be unboxed on the quayside as corrugated card was banned on board because of the risk of cockroaches hitching a lift in the corrugations. So maybe there's something in it.

Not just super yachts either... On longer trips some people take the paper off of tins and write in permanent ink on the lids.. Some maybe a cardboard crate of tinned tomatoes might work?

Misslayed · 14 March 2017 at 5:02PM

thegirlsmum wrote: »

i have just noticed 2 of my mini rhodedendrons (in the ground for 2 years) are being eaten by something. the holes are in the actual leaves not around the edges.i have 3 other rhodedendrons all in the same area but no problems with these.
could they be vine weevils? i'm not into squashing bugs or shaking umbrellas etc, so what can i just sprinkle or water onto them? or can i evern buy such a product?

I've been finding vine weevils a plenty in my beds (eeeewww), not just my pots. I have neglected gardens on either side with obvious vine weevil damage, looks like they're breeding them. Are the edges of the leaves nibbled? This is indeed a sign of vine weevil damage, but it's the grubs that do all the damage under the soil, munching away on the roots, so often the first you know is when the plant keels over and dies. You can buy weevil munching nematodes which you stir into water and apply with a watering can or a hose feeder attachment, they are 'green', environmentally friendly, but quite expensive (about £25 for enough to treat 100 square metres ish).

Misslayed · 23 March 2017 at 6:19PM

Update. My gardening assistant finally managed to locate single skin corrugated card - lot trickier than we thought! It arrived postage free from polypostalbags.co.uk today (£3.90 for 10 metres x 12" wide!). We now have numerous tubes covered in cling film and pegged down around the plants showing damage. Fingers crossed! Watch this space.

elaineruk · 23 March 2017 at 6:23PM

Apparently they can't swim so creating a moat around pots by sanding the pot on blocks in a saucer of water will stop them attacking new plants - that's what Pippa Greenwood advises here http://goto4gardening.co.uk/vine-weevils-yuk/ anyhow

Traps for adult vine weevils?

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