Black vine weevil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Black vine weevil | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Otiorhynchus sulcatus |
The black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus, is native to Europe, but common in North America as well. This weevil is a pest of many garden plants, causing the most damage on evergreen trees and shrubs.
The adult weevil is black with fused wing covers, and is unable to fly. Adults feed at night on the outer edges of leaves, causing the leaves to have a notched margin.
Grubs live below the soil surface, and feed on the roots and on the cambium at the base of the trunk.
Contents |
[edit] Host Plants
The host plants include the following, listed by genus:
- Arisaema
- Aster
- Astilbe
- Camellia
- Echinacea
- Epimedium
- Euonymus
- Heuchera
- Hosta
- Kalmia
- Lilium
- Phlox
- Rhododendron
- Sedum
- Syringa
- Taxus
- Tsuga
- Wisteria
[edit] Controls
[edit] Organic Controls
The soil dwelling grubs can be controlled using predatory nematodes which can be bought from some garden centres, and by mail order. They are simply mixed with water, and watered onto the soil.
Adult weevils can be controlled by using sticky barriers on the trunks of affected plants, as the weevils return to the soil each day.
Adults can also be manually removed from plants at night when they can be found feeding on leaf edges. Use only a dim torch or candle light to search by, as they will drop to the ground if startled by bright light.
Adults may also be controlled using the fungus Beauveria bassiana, which is a biocontrol.
