Vine weevils

[tootyfruitypickle]

I posted In chat yesterday and some kind folks helped me identify that the beetles I was hoovering up all over the place are
Vineweevils.

I've thrown out a fuschia I had that was overwintering inside which I think was the culprit although I didnt actually look at the roots . Also binned an amaryllis which had tons and tons of grubs on its roots. And a big palm which had dozens and dozens of orange eggs . I also treated the rest of my downstairs plants with vine weevil killer but didn't find any orange eggs. One had a few very tiny white eggs I think. Not checked the upstairs plants but will do .

Yesterday I hoovered about ten beetles. They have been around for days .Today I've just found one.

Please can you help me with a plan? I was thinking that when Ive not found any for a few days, I could rinse the old compost off my house plants and repot into fresh house plant compost ? Then treat again in 6 weeks?

Also got fungus gnats. So may also add some sand on top. Am ordering some neem oil ?

This is stressing me out ! I was awake for ages last night

In terms of my pots outside, it's just bulbs and pansies. Presumably if I wash the bulbs when done and throw the compost / wash the pots , that's ok?

Bit worried they're in my seedlings inside but I've taken them outside except for the ones I just started on Monday which have been under clingfilm

Vine weevil grubs, which are white and c shaped are the issue. Orange eggs might actually be fertiliser. I use nematodes on vine weevil, outside and inside. New compost is a good idea.

I LOVE the word weevil!

Sorry as you were......

I looked online and there were lots of pics of orange eggs which looked exactly the ones in the plant. There were some on the surface but mostly underneath. Not just odd one like with fertiliser but dozens and dozens clumped - yuck!!

I did see the larvae on the amaryllis .

I'm a bit squeamish about nematodes too! So do you think I should replace the compost , maybe treat again in 6 weeks, then add nematodes a few weeks later? Will the nematodes survive in treated compost ?

I'm worried now those weren't eggs. Awful if so as have just chucked a v expensive plant! They did look horrible but you're right ive just googled and you can't see vine weevil eggs. So I just put a perfectly nice plant in the dustbin . Sob. And all my house plants are probably still infested ?

My question is - should I replace compost tomorrow then? I was going to wait until i stopped seeing adults but sounds like I'm doing it all wrong

Get some Bug Clear Ultra Vine Weevil Killer - www.amazon.co.uk/BugClear-Ultra-Weevil-Killer-Concentrate/dp/B00B5WKUN4?tag=mumsnetforu03-21 and dilute according to instructions, and water all pots you suspect may be affected. It is expensive and a large pack makes up about 2 gallons, your local garden centre should stock it.

Can you get your nice plant out of the bin? And wash off all the compost? And give it fresh compost?

Instead of using killer, I spread vine weevily soil in a tray under the bird feeders. Then the birds sort it for me. I dont reuse it as compost then, but I do just use it as mulch around a tough shrub or similar.

That's the stuff I put on yesterday. I'm hoping that the adult one I saw today was just hiding yesterday. But now I'm thinking of replacing the compost and using nematodes as they look really good.

I've just put outside the plant in which I saw white dots in the soil !

Definitely getting some nematodes for the garden as well!

Still confused about the lovely plant I threw out . If those were old fertiliser balls (as it seems they must have been) there were zillions at the bottom of the pot ! Massive shame

As you can tell, I am losing my mind over this . I am not good with crawly things . In changed the hoover bag yesterday as I was worried they'd get out even though it's sealed up inside the hoover !

I looked at your other thread, and you said that the beetles looked different . The one in the pic was a weevil, but its possible that the others were not.
I get horrid bugs when I bring in logs for the fire.

I normally notice vine weevils as they eat the roots and the plant suddenly collapses. Then when I give it a wiggle, it's really loose. It's only when I dig in the pot do I realise I have weevils. I dont think I've ever seen the eggs. Also, it looks like the overwintering stage is a larva not an egg. Are you SURE they were eggs?

@TheSpottedZebra I had to break it In half to fit in the bin, and it's in there with the amaryllis which had all the grubs in, and the fuschia which probably was the source. Bin men are coming tomorrow .

When I've sorted this , and if I'm clear next spring/ summer, I'll treat myself to a new one.

Cross post. Can you get a pic of the orange bits in the chucked plant?

Cross post again.
Oh, that's a shame .

No I'm pretty sure now the orange balls werent eggs. One for the learning curve I guess.

We have had lots of beetles (I've now put all the wood outside ) but they were all different and then we just got lots and lots of the same black ones. I hadn't really realised as DD was hoovering them as I hate them so much , she found most of the black ones as she goes in the kitchen to make an evening drink, she kept telling me but I was 'la la la'. Then I came down yesterday morning and there were about ten crawling about - hence I realised I had a proper issue .....

Are the other ones tiny? Could they be cupboard weevils?

@TheSpottedZebra thank you for reading all my ramblings . I have anxiety which Is generally under control but it gets flared up sometimes when things stress me and I'm a single parent so have no one to be logical at me. DD does try, but it's not her job so I generally try not to dump it on her - hence I'm here !

No we had a few fairly big beetles. They've stopped coming now and there weren't that many. I think for the last 2 weeks it's just been these black ones and they do look like weevils and they don't fly . And there were stacks of grubs in the amaryllis roots

Happy to read them! But they're not ramblings, just concerns.
Am glad you dont have the teeny ones the cupboard ones. I did and they were horrid! Drove me mad.

Such a shame that your plants went in the bin, but the exciting thing is you now have some vacancies for new plants!

It's all a learning curve OP .I was hesitant about nematodes - but used on my outdoor pots .So easy ,so effective .

Yes I've woken up feeling a bit less bonkers and chalking it down to learning !

The nematode people emailed me overnight (how amazing) and said I could use them with the bug clear. Think I'll change the compost anyway but I don't need to be too worried about it all coming off. Have ordered and can apply tomorrow . My little warriors ....!

Am also ordering a recurring dose for the garden and adding in slug nematodes (slugs also came in until I resealed along the kitchen door!).

Thanks for the advice, it's helped !

I wouldn't have chucked the Fuchsia or the amaryllis just chucked the compost (and grubs) and washed off the roots. Vine weevil grubs like fat tender roots, so Amaryllis is heaven to them. I wouldn't normally expect to find them on the more fibrous roots of Fuchsia (named after Herr Fuchs (Mr Fox) - helps me remember the spelling).

You won't have as much problem in the future because now you know what you're looking for. The first infestation of anything is always the worst.

The most obvious difference between a weevil and a beetle is that a weevil has a long nose, like an extra piece stuck on the front of its face. Behaviourally they're different too - they are very cautious, testing out every move, not scurrying around madly.

Yep, learning curve all round 😆

Vine weevil eggs look remarkably similar to Miracle Gro granules.

I've got caught out like that before...

Yes - well that's what I thought. I've read very conflicting things about this. Some sites say they're impossible to see but then Ive also seen photos which look exactly like what i had . My big house plant had several 100 little orange balls in its soil all clumped together in two patches which I've never noticed before, so perhaps it was the right decision to get rid...!