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Oh no - I think I have found vine weevil larvae......

Hi all, looking for some advice please. I have just lifted my begonia bulbs and placed them in sawdust to overwinter but I am almost 100% sure I have found vine weevil bugs living in the crevices of the bulbs! I have removed all soil and larvae before putting in the sawdust and have killed all the larvae but does this mean I have probably got a garden full of them? :mad:

Begonias were in a pot away from any other plants luckily.

Comments

  • Linda32
    Linda32 Posts: 4,385
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    No it dosn't. We have had them in our garden. The weevils were in pots on gravel, so presumebly thebettles which lay the bugs were living in the gravel.

    We had pots on concrete no more than a foot away which were not effectedand never have been, nor has any other plants in the garden.

    You can buy a treatment which you use 3 times a year at specific times which got rid of them for us.
  • Linda32 wrote: »
    No it dosn't. We have had them in our garden. The weevils were in pots on gravel, so presumebly thebettles which lay the bugs were living in the gravel.

    We had pots on concrete no more than a foot away which were not effectedand never have been, nor has any other plants in the garden.

    You can buy a treatment which you use 3 times a year at specific times which got rid of them for us.

    Thank you so much for your reply, it was too dark to go out and check any other pots when I had finished but will look at getting nemitodes for later this year and see if I can get rid of any remaining weevils.
  • sobie
    sobie Posts: 356 Forumite
    Vine Weevil mainly affect container grown plants, and they tend to only affect certain plants, Primula, heuchera, hydrangea, strawberries, begonias and rhododendrons seem to be amongst the favourites.

    Once you have vine weevil it is almost impossible to erradicate so you need to use preventative measures throughout the year (even if you don't see any). Provado Vine Weevil killer is a product you can water on twice (or more) a year onto effected containers (it won't work on soil) or you can buy nematodes.

    Use a soil based compost (rather than a peat/ peat free) as for some reason they seem to less like a heavier soil. And use fresh compost every year. wash pots out with Jeyes fluid or other suitable garden disinfectant.

    Lay a thick layer of gravel on the top of the soil (less likely to be able to lay eggs on the soil surface), use glue bands around the top of pots, raise pots onto pot feet and spread grease on the feet anything to make it harder for the weevils.
  • ALIBOBSY
    ALIBOBSY Posts: 4,527
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    My understanding is in the normal "earth" because its only a weevil here and there, nipping a bit of root here and there that in open ground they aren't an issue. In pots though as they are more concentrated and chewing on the same set of roots they can effect plants more.

    There is lots of advice on how to deal with them and you can use the treatments, but for us I found a cheaper more natural way. I simply clear the pots, sieve the grubs out-the chickens treat these like I treat expensive dark chocolate truffles lol. Clean out the roots of the plants-I washed in a bucket of water and repot in fresh compost. As another poster says I used a soil/potting compost mix as they don't like the heavy ground.

    TBF we are on clay soil so we get little weevil in the main beds or ground, just occasionally in pots. I squish any adults we see and keep and eye on the strawberries in pots. If I had a larger scale or more widespread infestation I would stump up for the nematodes.

    Just as an aside never seen them in hanging baskets and its a great way to grow strawberries, the birds seemed to miss them and the kids can't reach lol.

    Ali x
    "Overthinking every little thing
    Acknowledge the bell you cant unring"

  • ALIBOBSY
    ALIBOBSY Posts: 4,527
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    Also been recently reading up on companion plants and french marigolds are supposed to put insecticides out from their roots. Another low tech idea is to place rolls of corrugated cardboard on the ground overnight. The beetles come out to feed at night and crawl into the gaps in the card to rest through the day. You then squish the little so and so's.

    Ali x
    "Overthinking every little thing
    Acknowledge the bell you cant unring"

  • I had a large Fatsia Japonica (growing in the ground) and the leaves were all misshapen as the adults loved nibbling on it. I used to go out in the evening with a large umbrella, turn the umbrella upside down and shake the branches above it. I then squished all that I caught. I also inspected all my pots and donated all the lava that I found to the bird table. I certainly didn't eradicate them, but it did help and I certainly felt better feeling that I was doing something about it. Plus the birds loved the extra protein!
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