First Vine Weevil !

officeguru

Hi All,

I went outside yesterday and picked some thyme... brought it in and sprinkled it into my casserole..

A little later on, I saw this tiny grub on my worktop.. it was white and had the brown head.. It looked exactly the same as the vine weevils that munch their way through my fuschia pots in the spring..:( except this one was above the soil, obviously on the plant itself...

Any thoughts ???

Davesnave

officeguru wrote: »

Any thoughts ???

I think it was lucky it didn't go in the casserole!

Vine weevils in both forms have a propensity for turning up when you least expect them. You havent any pot plants nearby in the house, perhaps?

wellused

The fish in my fishpond love vine weevil grubs, I don't! vine weevil!:mad:

officeguru

Davesnave wrote: »

I think it was lucky it didn't go in the casserole!

Vine weevils in both forms have a propensity for turning up when you least expect them. You havent any pot plants nearby in the house, perhaps?

Hi Davesnave,

No, I don't have any pot plants in the house as my house is too cold for plants to survive so all my gardening is outside..... Funnily enough, the thyme is growing in a raised bed... I had built a 3ft high retaining wall as a bit of terracing.... and that is where it is growing.. It just struck me as unusual to see one this early.. and I wondered if there were any other grubs that have a white body with a brown head... ????

wellused wrote: »

The fish in my fishpond love vine weevil grubs, I don't! vine weevil!:mad:

ha ha ha ... my chickens love them as well !!!

peter_the_piper

officeguru wrote: »

ha ha ha ... my chickens love them as well !!!

So do my cockatiel and kakariki

sobie

I found some in a heuchera ... horid evil things! always make sure any plant you buy has been treated with Intercept (good garden centres will always have their plants treated as they couldn't afford an infestation!) once you've got vine weevels you never get rid completely. Oh well out comes the Provado again.

I live in an area thats prone to chaffer beettles - larvae are like giant vine weevels.

Davesnave

officeguru wrote: »

Hi Davesnave,
I wondered if there were any other grubs that have a white body with a brown head... ????

Yes, many beetle larvae fit that description, but if you know the size & shape of vine weevil grubs well, the ID isn't too hard.

Certain plants are more attractive to them, (heucheras, geums, geraniums, polyanthus, begonias etc) and the most devastating infestations are in pots, so it is a relatively straightforward job to target treatment.

Unless you live in an isolated place, you will get them from neighbours, even if you are careful about your own plants.

sobie

Davesnave wrote: »

Yes, many beetle larvae fit that description, but if you know the size & shape of vine weevil grubs well, the ID isn't too hard.

Certain plants are more attractive to them, (heucheras, geums, geraniums, polyanthus, begonias etc) and the most devastating infestations are in pots, so it is a relatively straightforward job to target treatment.

Unless you live in an isolated place, you will get them from neighbours, even if you are careful about your own plants.

Thats very true, I always tell my customers once you discover them its always best to routinely treat any prone species.
Same for Chaffer beetle, the chemical treatment is quite expensive, but if your neighbours don't treat they'll just return. Look out for birds pecking at your lawn/ pots. They'll be after them.

Other prone species:
Hydrangeas
Strawberrys
Azaleas/ rhododendron/ camelia
Cyclamen
Fuchsia

Another thing that seems to lessen investation is to grow your plants in a soil based John Innes compost, rather than a peat based multipupose, the vine weevil don't seem to like the heavier soil. You can also put a thick layer of gravel/ mulch on the tops of the soil in your planters and the beetles will find it more difficult to lay their eggs.

Has anyone used Nematodes?

Davesnave

sobie wrote: »

Has anyone used Nematodes?

Yes, I did commercially, but they don't store for long, so now I'm not doing in bulk, it's back to Provado.

Nematodes were as effective as Provado, just less convenient.

sobie

Davesnave wrote: »

Yes, I did commercially, but they don't store for long, so now I'm not doing in bulk, it's back to Provado.

Nematodes were as effective as Provado, just less convenient.

Thanks you've confirmed my suspicions. I'll stick to Provado.