If you discover semicircular feeding marks on the leaf edges of the laurel cherry, the vine weevil has nested in the plant. More dangerous than the beetle, however, are the larvae that live in the soil and feed on the root system. It is therefore advisable to take suitable measures to combat the insects in the event of a heavy infestation.
Occurrence and life cycle of the beetle
The beetle, which is around seven to twelve millimeters in size, is unable to fly and hides in the immediate vicinity of the host plant during the day. It only leaves its hiding place when it is dark and you can track the animals with a flashlight.
The first generation of beetles hatch in May and from then on they primarily attack plants with relatively robust foliage. In addition to the cherry laurel, the leaves of rhododendrons, yew trees or spars are often eaten away.
Between June and August, the females lay around 1,000 eggs in the ground, from which the fat, white beetle larvae hatch. They first feed on the fine hair roots. Later, peel the root skin from the main roots of the host plant. If the infestation is severe, the laurel cherry suffers extremely and can even die.
Control of the vine weevil
As soon as you spot the first beetles on the cherry laurel, you should try to catch them. For this purpose, place flower pots filled with wood shavings under the bushes. Alternatively, you can lay out rotten, slightly damp wooden boards. The vine weevils hide under these traps and you can collect the animals during the day.
In the case of a severe infestation, however, this measure is not sufficient. In this case, the control is carried out with nematodes, which you can purchase in specialist shops. To do this, proceed as follows:
- Apply nematodes between April and June and a second time between September and October.
- Control should take place in the evening or in bad weather, as the nematodes die off in sunlight.
- Thoroughly dissolve nematodes in water.
- Water a little over the affected area.
- Keep the soil around the plants well moist for the next two to three weeks as the worms cannot move and die in dry conditions.
tips and tricks
Shrews and hedgehogs are natural enemies of the vine weevil. Create retreats for beneficial insects in your garden so the pests cannot multiply excessively. Watering with wormwood manure is also said to keep the voracious beetles away.
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