anyone a nematode expert ?Some better than others?

[peridito]

Following on from my vine weevil discovery I hastily ordered nematodes advertised for use against w.v..I got Heterorhabditis bacteriophora which I see are for black vine weevils

I see now that they are not the strain ( ?) recommended on the RHS site which are Steinernema kraussei and I'm wondering if I should get those

Wouldl applying two different types be ok ? Will they clash/fight ?

Not an expert (though I used to work with two).

Heterohabditis bacterophora is a species within the genus Heterorhabditis, and Steinernema kraussei is a species in the genus Steinernema. So in plant terms, H bacterophora is equivalent to a primrose (Primula vulgaris), with another Heterorhabditis being equivalent to a cowslip (Primuls veris), whereas S kraussei might be yellow loosestrife - same family as primrose but different genus.

On economic grounds as much as anything, I'd suggest seeing how the H bacteriophora go before getting another species. This interesting article suggests that they turn the affected grubs reddish, so you should see if they're working even if it's difficult to spot dying grubs
greenmethods.com/nematodes/
But see my last paragraph

Looks like they're a lot more complicated than I'd imagined - they seem to work in symbiosis with a bacterium, and it's the bacterium which kills the grub on which the nematodes feed. The bacteria also provide an antibiotic environment for the developing nematodes and may also repel ants - this is interesting
www.wormbook.org/chapters/www_genomesHbacteriophora/genomesHbacteriophora.html

Black vine weevil is the same genus Otiorhynchus as vine weevil, but a different species. Other sites suggest that H bacteriophora control vine weevil; the main reason that the RHS recommend the S kraussei may be that it is effective down to 5 deg C whereas H bacteriophora is effective only down to 12 deg C .... this may be a reason to buy the other one, bearing in mind where we are in the season.

Sorry, this may be more info than you were looking for - but it's been a lovely learning opportunity for me!

oh ,thanks that's great - will have a read and digest ,at least there's always something to learn .A silver lining to gardening set backs .

Just watch temperature now. 2 nights ago we had a frost SE, and last night it got just below 5. I would probably go through the pots and remove any grubs and dose with nematodes in the spring now.

Thanks ,I did go through pots ,Threw a lot of plnts away .Dosed .Will dose again in Spring . Wish me success !