Despite the fact that the cherry laurel is one of the robust garden trees, it is also repeatedly attacked by pests. Scars from the various aphid species, the vine weevil is feared by garden owners. The voracious larvae of the beetle can damage the roots of the laurel cherry so massively that the wood even dies.

The typical signs of feeding give away the beetle

Since the vine weevil is nocturnal, you will only see the brown or black beetle with the powerful proboscis if you examine the cherry laurel closely with a flashlight in the dark. You can definitely recognize an infestation by the small dents that the beetle eats into the leaf edges. At the same time, the larvae living in the soil feed on the roots of the cherry laurel, causing considerable damage to the plant.

Successfully combat vine weevil

If you discover bugs, you should first try to catch the adult beetles. It has proven useful to place clay pots filled with wood shavings under the bushes. The insects use these traps as a resting place during the day, so you can easily collect the vermin.

In addition, work commercially available neempress cakes into the soil. Neem oil is toxic to the beetles and the larvae and deters the bugs from further feeding on the laurel.

Biological crop protection by spreading beneficial insects

In the case of severe infestations, combating them with nematodes has proven effective. The tiny roundworms penetrate the voracious larvae and kill them within a very short time. Since the nematodes continue to multiply, this method is considered to be very sustainable. At the same time, it protects the environment, since the beneficial insects are harmless to humans and vertebrates.

Aphids: Annoying vermin

Almost from one day to the next, thousands of aphids can colonize the cherry laurel and massively damage the wood. Under favorable conditions, the vermin can clone themselves up to five times a day, thus ensuring mass distribution. Aphids sit in large colonies on the shoots or under the leaves and cover these parts of the plant with their excrement.

consequences of the infestation

The sticky honeydew clogs the pores of the leaves, the leaves of the laurel curl up, shoots and flowers die. In addition, the lice transmit plant viruses, which can also damage the cherry laurel.

What helps against vermin?

There are a number of effective control methods:

  • In the case of a light infestation, rinse off the lice with a strong jet of water.
  • Spray cherry laurel with nettle broth, soapy water, neem oil or curd soap. However, this treatment must be repeated several times.
  • If these measures do not help, you can use commercially available insecticides. You should prefer means that protect beneficial insects.

Leaf miners in cherry laurel

If you discover light brown wavy lines in the leaves, this indicates an infestation with leaf miners. The caterpillars affect the laurel cherry only indirectly, as they impair the photosynthesis of the plant through their feeding passages. This leads to chronic malnutrition of the plant.

Unfortunately, no insecticides are currently approved for combating the leaf miner in the home garden. To prevent the vermin from spreading further, all fallen leaves of the cherry laurel should be collected and disposed of with household waste.

tips and tricks

Wasps on the cherry laurel are annoying, but do not have to be fought. The animals only feed on the sweet nectar juice that the laurel cherry secretes and do not cause any harm themselves.

Category:

Trees