Talkback: Vine weevils - Page 2

Re:vine weevil trap,some years ago on TV Alan Titchmarsh demonstrated using a sheet of corrugated cardboard app.14" square rolled up to make a loose tube, secured with an elastic band.This "trap" is placed overnight where weevils are active or might be - just pushed into the foliage.Next morning tap out each trap and dispose of dreaded weevil!Our first season of use caught in excess of 200,now usually around 30,and we have not lost a plant since using this trap. Thank you Alan Titchmarsh.

The most successful cure for vine weevil we have found is the nematode treatment and we no longer plant primulas as they are a magnet for the devils.

AT LONG LAST I HAVE FOUND AN ANSWER TO BEING ABLE TO RE USE COMPOST AFTER CLEARING OFF ANY WEEVIL GRUBS FROM INFECTED PLANT ROOTS! MY DAUGHTER REFURBISHED HER KITCHEN RECENTLY AND I MANAGED TO SALVAGE HER PERFECTLY GOOD MICROWAVE FROM THE SKIP! THIS IS NOW INSTALLED IN THE POTTING SHED AND ANY DOUBTFUL COMPOST IS PLACED IN A BOWL, SPRAYED WITH A LITTLE WATER AND ZAPPED FOR 5 TO 6 MINUTES! I THEN MIX IT IN WITH FRESH COMPOST, ADDING A LITTLE JOHN INNES FERTILIZER AND HEY PRESTO, NO MORE "LOST" EXPENSIVE COMPOST. THE TRIAL RESULTS SO FAR HAVE BEEN GREAT!!

Boxing Day and I decided to remove the frosted plants from my window boxes and what have I found some 20-30 vine weevil grubs alive and fat and well. Well they were! I expect them in April and May but not in December. Is this normal?

Reply to eggpway Large beetles like vine weevils are relatively long-lived (months probably) and since they are semi-subterranean or at least leaf-litter denizens, they are protected from extremes of wet and cold and can be found in any month of the year. They only become really active in warmer times though.

The information at the RHS site below is very useful as it explains the life cycle of the beetle and hence that September to March is the time of damage by the grub as it is becoming fully grown. http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=234

Forgot to add that having explored the death of a potted variegated mint yesterday on a 4th floor balcony found vw grubs. (I squash them, lack the robin.) I clear out compost, search for adult beetles (which I have found in doors) but am not good at promptly repotting purchased plants in fresh compost. That's the Achilles Heel for container gardeners. Effectively only control in these circumstances is vigilance and not purchasing plants they are partial to, although a 'decoy' cyclamen may be useful.

whats the best way of getting rid of them

We only seem to get these annoying little pests in our patio pots, (of which their are many!) We have found that the only sure way of getting rid of them is to empty the pots in mid April, sieve the earth - yes it is very laborious - pick out all the grubs and put them in a large tray for the Blackbirds to eat for their evening meal, they love them! We then bag the compost, keep it dry, and in early June check it again in case any of them have survived - if all okay put around the garden and mix in with the soil.

I have just realised why so many of my patio pots have not been thriving this spring - my front patio with abou 15 pots on - seems riddled with the blighters. Going to attempt to use the solution - but fingers crossed - some of the plants they have attacked I really wouldnt want to lose

I have tried the Provado solution, drenched the pots as instructed but as yet, they are still alive, the maggot grub things.... do they ever die?

Any ever have vine weevils eat Rhubarb? At least I think it might be this. It is the stem not the leaves that are effected.help

Anyone ever have vine weevils eat Rhubarb? At least I think it might be these guys? It is the stem not the leaves that are effected. Can you help?

I bought a potted willow once, (you know one of those with the 5 foot trunk and grafted top, very pretty but either die or grow very quickly to an unmanageable size, for those with a potted garden) soon afterwards I kept seeing a little chunky beetle and decided to name him "Bob" I said hello to Bob every time I saw him in the garden and grew quite fond of him. One night I was in the nextdoor neighbours yard at a party and walked from my neighbours back door to my own via the garden gates,( a 10 second walk) to refill my drink, and found Bob floating in the dregs of the glass in my hand.I wondered what the chances were of Bob managing to land in my drink in that very short walk. Horrified I rescued him and set him gently back outside on the willow ( by pure chance) then as my eyes adjusted to the dimness I saw the willow was COVERED in Bobs. Looking it up on the internet I discovered that Bob was probably responsible for the mysterious deaths of many of my potted plants which, on examination were rootless ( I assumed they had rotted off with the death of the plant)war was waged, and pesticide the first line of defence. Im not sure whether it was the Bobs or the pesticide but I lost both of my Lonicera varieties within a fortnight, so never used it again. Since then many a "Bob" has been crushed underfoot and this seems to keep it under control, although I occasionally suffer when I get a new plant thats full of them, I make sure to keep a close eye on things so I only lose the one plant and not half the garden. I dont know If Im allowed to mention names here - Im sure they will be moderated away if not, but no frills seems to be a major culprit regarding Bob infested plants. Anyway I thought my naievete at the time might give some of you more savvy gardners a laugh! Ho hum, you live and learn! DOWN WITH BOBS!

When potting on a cotoneaster plant recently I found some fat, white grubs carefully wrapped in leaves down under the plant. I thought these may be leaf cutter bee grubs, or beetle grubs. Could they, in fact, be vine weevil grubs?

Re Red Lilly Beatles, this year I think I have cracked it! Apart from stamping on the red Beatles, I have found that if you get a tissue and put surgical spirit on then wipe the underside of the Lilly leaves making sure you have got all the black larvae off. No trouble after that!

I've got vine weevils again! I thought I'd killed the blighters 2 years ago but maybe I will have to stop using busy lizzies in pouches on my walls? Just as my displays are at their best, the plants start drooping and shortly afterwards the whole plant falls out due to lack of roots... I use the drench and stamp on any I find but would Jeyes fluid sprayed on the brickwork help? Any ideas gratefully accepted.

Re Red Lily Beetle: I pick off any beetles and grubs then pop them into a small plastic milk container half filled with water and a dash of cooking oil which seals off the oxygen. Swish the container briefly for Instant Death and no mess underfoot!

now have found 272 adult vine weevils in garden- they're EVERYWHERE especially in raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. Best traps are lengths of black or even white rigid plastic tubing, which I check every morning as I can never find any at night. Worst pest I've ever encountered in 60 years of gardenind- enough to make me give up!!!!!!

My heart cries with all of yours, i too have VW. i don't wanna go on about stories of discovering them and how to deal with the grub, death to them is plainly obvious.... I LOVE SOLUTIONS! 1.) cardboard rolled for adults as a trap (will try it asap, only question i have is would the trap work if wet -after rain for example or do i than have to roll up a fresh one and during which months did anyone find the best "catch" in cardboard roll?) 2.) microwave! wow! thank you x 1000!!! so far i was burning the soil on my spare drive with some pallets or wood bits but was and am still PARANOID if that was enough, now i have a time limit-6min. Am gonna bag my "bad" soil and start cooking! 3.) nematodes didn't work successfully for me, too many pots and open ground to constantly keep moist, plus every time i discover them the temperature is getting too cold or they just come back.....which brings me on to...I can apply it in my own garden but do i than supply my neighbourhood too??? HA-HA especially since we are all separated by lovely wooden fences that weevils like.....!!! 4.) to be honest i still cannot tell the difference on VW eggs from the pics on the net! Are they? aren't' they? So am doing my own experiment checking daily to confirm what comes out of the eggs i found- snails, earth worms, weevils or slow release fertiliser...??? once i see it with my own eyes i'll learn it for life! 5.) i have pots scattered all around my garden so tray with water even though logical point wouldn't do the trick cos i saw them buggers falling of shrubs and i know they will find a way over the water in saucers- cos they managed "swim the atlantic"! I much rather like the idea of fresh soil, grit on top- just the watering will have to be softer-softer approach not to wash out the grit. My question although is- can the adults lay eggs from the bottom of the pot??? For example am always doing loads of cuttings and i keep my pots in cases of 6-8-10 PVC trays from shops and they do have drainage holes, that than lead to pots holes...and some of my plants have juicy root system from the bottom so it only makes sense for them to work their way up... (I am already in my day 5 of putting 2inch of grit on the bottom of ALL MY POTS anyway, but will help me to calm my nerves knowing... ) 6.) love the UV torch idea!.. am getting one soon, are adult weevils active Nov- Feb time? 7.) what other traps have you been using for the adults??? (I didn't quiet understood the rigid plastic tubes, could you give me better understanding what you ment by that? thank you) 8.) sand and grit mixed with compost hasn't worked for me... they did find their way to my Sedum after all, laughing in to my face..... Power of nature is strong, but i hope i will find the strength to battle some more and if any of my experiments work I'll share it with you first thing! Am off to my laboratory and some grubs are going to be seriously tested on!