Is this a vine weevil?

sharonl · Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 8:08 am Post subject: Is this a vine weevil?

Hi all,

Could anyone confirm that this beetle is a vine weevil, found him wandering around my strawberries over the weekend and have previously found a vine weevil grub! If it is a vine weevil, is there any kind of organic treatment for them? Any help much appreciated.

Very Happy

sharon

Sive · Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 8:23 am Post subject:

It certainly is, I hope you squashed the poor thing! They move very slowly...... The grubs seem to thrive in peaty potting compost, and love devouring certain plants' roots. I used to empty out the pots and pick the little white grubs out by hand....

sharonl · Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 9:45 am Post subject:

Oh he was squished alright! Mad

I had a feeling he might be a vine weevil and I found a vine weevil grub a couple of weeks ago in my leek bed so I knew they were there. Is there a nematode you can get for these guys? and if so, is it any good and where can you get it? looked in my local garden centres but the only thing they have are chemical treatments for weevils and we want to stay organic if possible.

Thanks
sharon

Liparis · Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 11:42 am Post subject:

Those blighters are now laying eggs and the resulting grubs will start reaching a peak from June onwards, there is a biological control, but I can't remember what it is, it's a fungus, you will have to try googling vine weavel treatment or whatever.
I spend evenings hunting these in the greenhouse, darkness is when they are most active. They have an uncanny knack of playing dead when you get near them and just dropping off to the ground, so you need to see them then squish and crunch them in one swift stroke. if they fall to the ground, they are the divil themself to find again.
Bill.

JennyS · Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 11:57 pm Post subject:

No, don't know which species of beetle that is but its NOT a Vine Weevil ......
the one in the link below is - if you look carefully you'll see the body proportions are different

http://www.anje.co.uk/images/vine_weevil.jpg -

This is the nightmare, plant-trashing beastie to squish, I don't think the beetle in the photo you posted does plants any harm

sharonl · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 8:00 am Post subject:

Oops!!

well he was squished just in case... I've treated the area with some Nema sys vine weevil killer nematodes so hopefully they will do the job and see off any vine weevil grubs which I know we have as I found one when we were digging so figured it was only a matter of time before we see an adult.

Your website is very cool JennyS, I was looking for a book of irish wildflowers and hedgerow plants with photographs, but its been nearly impossible as most have those watercolour painted drawings which are pretty useless for identification really, your site is great with multiple photos of each plant, most usefull....do you mind if I put a link to your site on my blog?

sharon

JennyS · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 8:20 am Post subject:

Hi Sharon,

Liparis · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 8:45 am Post subject:

Hi Jenny, thanks for that link, even my tired eyes can see that's the nasty. I must really get firefox reinstalled so I can see larger versions of the forum pics.
Bill.

sharonl · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 8:53 am Post subject:

Thanks Jenny, I've added your website to my blog. Very Happy

I'm sure I'll find it really usefull over the next while, I was going to go on a mission this weekend and see just what kinds of plants we have growing in the locality and what uses they might have, I suspect we might have some comfrey so I'm on the hunt for some of that and nettles to make some fertilizer and also elderflowers to make some champagne.

sharon

JennyS · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 10:57 am Post subject:

Hi again Sharon

Sarah Evans · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 11:53 am Post subject:

A great visual link for identifying the real pesky blighters......

http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/vineweevil.htm

Sean Ph'lib · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 8:14 pm Post subject:

I'm afraid you've made a serious blunder. The insect in the picture is certainly NOT a vine weevil. It's a species of ground beetle, carnivorous, pest-destroying and the gardener's friend.

Liparis · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 8:19 pm Post subject:

Yep, we've all acknowledged that already and given our excuses Wink

Bill.

Sean Ph'lib · Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 9:00 pm Post subject:

Garlicbreath · Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 4:12 pm Post subject:

I just found a genuine vine weevil lurking around my broad beans. She/He's being relocated! How can you tell which is which? Male or female I mean Smile