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vine weevil or alien bugs

primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817
in Problem solving

On digging empty bed to start planting I found a few c grubs probably vine weevil grubsimage  but as I started clearing them I found more and more white translucent alien looking bugs are these the  vine weevil grub s big brothersimage or are they possibly good guysimage . I plan to douse the soil with vine weevil killer but don't want to eradicate the good ones .

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391

    Probably Vine weevil pupae - see the photo here:

    http://mint.ippc.orst.edu/blackvineid.htm

     

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 84,041

    It could be one of the beetle larvae, even stag beetle larvae - they start off quite small and grow and get whiter http://maria.fremlin.de/stagbeetles/lindex.html

    Stag Beetles and their larvae are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

     

    Here are some other beetle larvae http://maria.fremlin.de/stagbeetles/larva-guide/index.html

    Beetle and chafer larvae have legs - vine weevil larvae are legless. image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817

    Thanks Bob their the vine weevil pupae ugly grubsimage do you think dousing the soil will do the job?

    I wish they'd been your suggestions Dove sadly notimage thanks anyway,the link was worth looking atimage

  • LeifUKLeifUK Posts: 573

    Cockchafer and vine weevil grubs are similar. As I understand it vne weevil feed on specific plant roots especially Heuchera and strawberry, favouring plants in pots. 

    I certainly hope they are not generalists. I picked out over 50 from my strawberry pot after pulling out dying plants. The robin became my best friend. Strawberries in the ground and other plants are looking healthy. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 84,041

    My daughter has plans to develop vine weevil grubs that only eat Ground Elder roots! image  .............. nothing like being ambitious image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LoganLogan Posts: 2,532
    You can get organic nemesis for vine weevil,it doesnt kill any thing else,you water it on,from green gardener
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391

    Yes, I've used nematodes and they are very effective.  Expensive, yes, but worth it to avoid the use of pesticides which will kill beneficial insects as well as the baddies.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817

    Perhaps I'll invest in those because it's long bed band don't want to make it sterile thanks Allimage

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