British Columbia: Weevil?

Discussion in 'Outdoor Gardening in the Pacific Northwest' started by BarbaraJean, Jul 12, 2011.

  1. BarbaraJean

    BarbaraJean Member

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    Location:
    Vancouver
    I planted a lace cap climbing hydrangea in a container on my patio three years ago. The last two summers the leaves start to be chomped around the edges, and new growth in particular becomes affected. It also has some brown spots (separate issue?). I had never see any insects during the day until i found this:

    http://pestcontrolcanada.com/Questions/Alberta beetle.jpg

    stuck to a piece of tape I used as a temporary anchor for a branch.

    I believe it is a type of weevil that lurks underground in the day (ugh) and comes out at night. It may have moved to other plants (some of their leaves are showing similar damage, although to a lesser extent).

    How can I rid myself of this pest? One site recommended using nematodes ~ Labour Day to destroy the larvae in the soil, but I would really like to save my plant now, not two months from now. It has just become established and is producing long stems, but the foliage is being chewed away.

    Thanks!
     
  2. David Payne Terra Nova

    David Payne Terra Nova Active Member

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    Location:
    Port Coquitlam, B.C. Canada
    You can wrap the stock with some-thing, like heavy paper and tape it togeather. Then spread some tanglefoot on the paper. You can get tanglefoot most any-where plant supplies are sold. Use a popsicle stick to spread it. As the weavils come out at night, they get stuck in the tanglefoot. Then put on a clean wrap.

    Some people put down a board overnight and catch the weavils sleeping under it in the morning.

    A government entamologist told me there are actually 16 species of weavils in the lower mainland.
    They may not even be in your garden during the day. Speculation is that weavils can travel
    great distances to feed.

    Is some-thing stressing your hydrangea? Perhaps it's time again, to repot to a larger container?

    The nematodes really do work. What's this about Labour Day? I use Nemasys L (Steinernema kraussei)
    and they have to be watered in by April/May....so, it is a bit late.

    You can achieve some success by spreading liberal amounts of diatomaceous earth around your plant also.

    Here, call my wholesaler for information. Evergro has a Vancouver Store off of Marine Way as well as a warehouse in Delta.
    604-940-0290 Ask for the "Biological Department"
     
  3. MoDirt

    MoDirt Active Member

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    Looks like a weevil,


    Sticky tape will help stop them from walking up the plants at night. You will need to get out once a day and search for 'Daywalkers' and 2-3 times before the Middle of August you should get out at night with some tweezers and pluck them off. When you go out you should put down a white sheet or a cloth or some paper to catch them on as the will Skydive off the plant as soon as they think the are in trouble.


    Weevil larva overwinter in the soil and begin feeding again in early spring. They pupate in late May to early June and the first adults begin to emerge from the soil in June and continue through July. They feed for a few weeks then lay eggs in the soil around the base of the plants. The larva hatch around 10 days later and then bore into the roots and begin to feed, they remain there until spring.
    In our area when we receive mild winters the adults can and do survive.
     
  4. BarbaraJean

    BarbaraJean Member

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    Thank you, DPTN and MoDirt!

    I received your replies this evening and will tape and tanglefoot tomorrow.

    I also decided I would set my alarm for 1am (1:10 now) and see if I could find and remove some weevils.

    I should have read MoDirt's post more carefully re: Skydiving.
    I used a flashlight and after searching the plant, I found one on the edge of the planter. And then one on the patio table.

    After ~ 30 seconds inside, I noticed two on the hardwood floor. I think they fell off me. Gruesome.

    Wish me luck.
     
  5. BarbaraJean

    BarbaraJean Member

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    Location:
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    Found a third in my hair. Shudder. Guess I got too close to the plant.

    Two more on the wall. 7 total.
    Is that 7 of 10? Or 7 of 100+?

    Do not want to repot the hydrangea b/c it has finally established itself and produced climbing stems attached to a wall.
    Have the larvae been feasting on the roots, and that is why it had not been a vigorous grower?
     
  6. MoDirt

    MoDirt Active Member

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    Yes, the larva have most likely been feeding on the roots. If you choose to go with nematodes next spring 'and I think you should', I would get my order in during the fall.
    They can sell out fast.
     
  7. BarbaraJean

    BarbaraJean Member

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    Thank you both for your advice.

    I contacted Evergro in Delta, and Bert and Archie were very helpful.

    Bert strongly recommended
    #1 an immediate application of nematodes (only possible at this time of year because Vancouver gardens are ~ 4 weeks delayed due to crap weather). Archie recommended Millenium (Steinernema carpocapsae).
    #2 application of hypoapsis
    #3 tanglefoot

    Made the treck to Delta for the biologicals yesterday afternoon.
    Hoping this effort will save/revive my container plants (25 large containers). I have destroyed 8 more weevils, but I can only imagine how many eggs they have laid.

    The big bummer is that I live on the 7th floor of a new condo complex, so the black vine weevil probably came in the roots of one of my new plants (likely the hydrangea).
     
  8. David Payne Terra Nova

    David Payne Terra Nova Active Member

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    Location:
    Port Coquitlam, B.C. Canada
    Actually, the weavil could possibly be coming from a neighbors balcony or even from another building.

    If you look in your soil, if you have eggs they are round and white. Similar to a fertilizer prill. You can squish them in your finger. The ones that pop have some-thing in them, and others will be empty like an egg shell.

    I'm glad you got to Evergro.
     

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