How to protect your garden from voracious weevils
Growing plants in the garden is a real challenge, especially when pests appear on the horizon. One of the gardener's enemies is the weevil, a small beetle that can cause significant damage.
Identifying these small beetles and taking appropriate steps can significantly minimize the damage they cause. Weevils are a formidable opponent for any gardener. How does one get rid of them?
Voracious beetles
Weevils are small beetles with a distinctive appearance. Their bodies are black, and their shells are covered with fine hairs. They feed on young leaves and plant shoots, which can lead to the death of flowers and fruits. They are most commonly seen in the summer.
Adult weevils have brown or black bodies ranging from about 6 to 13 mm long, often with a metallic sheen. Weevil larvae are white or cream-coloured, legless, and have brown heads reaching up to about 13 mm in length.
They are exceedingly voracious. They feed on young plants, weakening them and often leading to their death. Plants whose leaves and shoots are regularly gnawed become more susceptible to diseases and less resistant to adverse weather conditions.
They are often found in ornamental gardens on plants such as roses, hydrangeas, fuchsias, and rhododendrons. Vegetable and fruit gardens usually target strawberries, grapes, lettuce, carrots, cabbage, and raspberries.
How to combat weevils?
The most straightforward yet labour-intensive method is manually collecting the beetles. It is best to do this at night when they are most active. This is especially effective in small gardens.
Another effective method is to use pheromones or light traps. These traps attract adult beetles and allow their removal at a later stage.
One of the most effective biological methods is the use of nematodes. Entomopathogenic nematodes are microorganisms that attack weevil larvae, effectively reducing their population. They penetrate the larvae and eliminate them without harming other organisms in the garden.
An excellent way to prevent the appearance of weevils is to maintain the health and resilience of your plants. Regular fertilization, watering, and pruning increase plants' strength and resistance to pest attacks. Avoiding monocultures in the garden is crucial. The greater the diversity of plants, the harder it is for pests to find and destroy their favourite species. A diverse garden is also a healthier ecosystem and less prone to pest attacks.
