Coppicing to kill off hazelnut beetle?

[OldLagNewName]

I've got two hazel trees that used to be really productive. Well, they're still really productive but for the last couple of years none of the nuts have been edible because a beetle is laying it's larva in the nuts en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curculio_nucum The suggested controls are disturbing where they live under the trees (can do, but tricky to get at), a nematode or a fungus that I can't find anywhere or pesticides (which I don't want to use - organic gardener). But both trees are getting a bit big for the space, so I was wondering about coppicing them completely to the ground, which would mean that they wouldn't bear fruit for a couple of years anyway. Do you think that would get rid of the beetle? I could disturb the ground under the trees much more thoroughly if the trees were only stumps too.

Anyone coppiced a hazel this much? Or had any success getting rid of this horrible beetle in other ways?

You need to be specific about the pest you have, because the effectiveness of the control depends on the life cycle of the particular beetle that is attacking your plants. Is it a hazlenut weevil, Curculio nucum L, that is the problem?

Like a lot of insects, I think they have a lifecyle where larvae overwinter in the soil, so if you want to get rid of them, coppicing may not be effective - they are likely to reappear out of the soil next spring, you see. So your best bet may be nematode control on the adults when they are in the feeding stage in summer- make sure you buy the right kind for your pest, as there are many kinds available.

I think the nematode might be called Heterorhabditis indica if that helps? Try ebay, it is generally good for sourcing such things - or alternatively, get in touch with the company Nemasys that make loads of these things and ask. It may be that a product that works for other things will be effective?

Interestingly, this blog suggests CHICKENS as a solution!!

www.farminmypocket.co.uk/growing/wild-food/hazelnuts

I can see how this would work...

Thanks. It's definitely the one described in the Wikipedia entry, which is why I linked to it. And yes, that's the nematode that I can't find anywhere. I haven't tried eBay though -will do thx. Definitely not up for chickens!