Vine weevil evil :-(

Jess is in the Garden

I have tried, really tried, to control weevils in my small garden, my neighbour doesn't bother and sadly, as fast as I remove mine completely, his continue to thrive because downcast be bothere to treat. The past 2 years I've only used nematodes in spring and autumn. They seem to work well. Unfortunately, this year less so and I am noticing many new notches in a container- grown gardenia and around my photinia, heucheras and a climbing rose. I re-treat with nematodes now, as the soil is too cold - should I try something else like Provado? i know it's lethal for wildlife, which is why I've never used it, but it is winter and I'm hoping some kind soul on here will put my mind at rest and assure me I'm not a mass-murderer of pollinating insects! I do have a couple of resident frogs hibernating somewhere in the garden as well, so I'm keen not to use anything that would harm them...does anyone know if chemicals like Provado stay in the soil for a long time? Will they destroy the grubs? Or is there anything else to control grubs and adults in winter, possibly not as nasty as Provado? Have tried going out at night to pick them off, but either Im no good at spotting them, or they see me coming Makes me sad to see my plants being destroyed...I loathe this pest!

Dovefromabove

My understanding is that once a plant has been treated with a neonicotinoid all pollen and nectar that the plant produces in the future will be dangerous to bees as it damages their immune system so they succumb to a virus that they usually aren't susceptible to. 

Jess is in the Garden

Thanks Dove- that's what I feared

Hence why they're banned in some countries...

Anything else I can use over the winter months, before I can use nematodes again?

Jess is in the Garden

Thanks Verdun and Mike - Verdun, are you worried about bees being affected by nectar and pollen contaminated by Provado? I have no idea what sort of shelf life it has.

I take your point about commercial spraying concentrations v. domestic, Mike - would be good to know whether Provado lingers and is as bad a sa heavy metal (which can never be broken down or removed), or whether it does eventually break down in the soil and in the plant.

I was hoping to find some info online, but no luck so far.

I was also hoping that a good soaking in Provado now, when the bees are inactive, may do the trick...and by Spring the damn stuff would have been dealt with by nature.

It's hard for me to remove the Heucheras V - they are all interlaced with spring bulbs that are coming up right now, so moving the heucheras would be very difficult without collateral damage

I think I may have to resort to a bit of Provado Do you use it, Mike?

 

 

JulianC

We suffered from Vine Weevil in pots for years, and then got a tip which virtually cured the problem.

Just plant a root of CHIVES in pots and containers and you will have no more root damage !!!!!

Honestly, it works.

Campbell Jones - Ludlow

JulianC

Thanks Brumbull, glad to hear it works

Berkley

I thought Provado vine weevil killer had been banned? Or am I thinking of a similar product?

Dovefromabove

Some of the Provado products have been banned, but not the vine weevil treatment.  Not sure why exactly .... 

Tropical Sam

Provado does use neonicotinoid insecticides but those are not banned. They are systemic so killing the grubs takes a few weeks/several applications. The UK voted against the EU prohibition as the scientific proof of them affecting bee populations is not there.