Probable Weevil problem

Hi,

I’m looking for some advice on what we believe is a weevil problem.

We had a bush that was being attacked by something and after some research and going out at night to look at it we easily saw lots of weevils on it - which agreed with the leaf damage we were seeing.

We treated it with a spray on the bush and separately with a solution into the soil around the roots. However, after another month or so it has got worse so we are thinking that probably the grubs have attacked the roots too much and the plant is dying.

I suppose my main question is should we dig up the bush now, remove the roots and dispose of as many weevil grubs in the soil as we can find before they might move along to the next plant? Once removed we could also treat the area with nematode worms to kill larvae.

In the photos it is the tall bush on a small trunk and the bush to the immediate left of that which have been attacked initially.

Any advice/knowledge appreciated,

Tom

 

I think it may be viburnum beetle ....can you put a close up of the leaf please

 

Hi,

Not sure about all the different types of beetle/weevils around but its the Vine weevil and its grubs that are the real menace, though they generally go for 'soft' targets like strawberries and tender potted plants.
Not aware that any form of spraying is effective against the Adults, against picking them off.
The grubs at the roots can be controlled by various treatments, but if they have eaten too many roots the plant will be lost.

Not heard of them attacking large bushes like yours and with all those brown leaves wonder if the plant has suffered from something else thats badly weakened it, so making it an easy target for a secondary attack by those bugs ?

If you carefully dig around the base of the stem and roots can you see any little grubs like the pic shows.

Also a Vine weevil will leave an obvious cut mark on the leaf.

 

@tombuck Do you know what the bushes are?

 

@Spruce i’ve attached some more pictures of the damage. It also looks like it is moving onto our Laurel next along the bed.

@ricky101 what we saw at night definitely looks like those beetles but as you say, maybe there is something else that has weakened the bush.

what also seems strange is that the leaves on the tall branch/trunk above the main bush are not damaged but they all look dead - perhaps pointing to root problems?

 

Hi I doubt it is vine weevil as in adults eating the foliage as those may be from late last summer last year as still too early for the adults ... with the laurel young foliage may get chewed by slugs snails ...

a branch may have been damaged during the winter with heavy winds etc that why that has died

one leaf does look like viburnum ..... both are really hardy shrubs

If you want ? use a spray to control caterpillars add a drop or two of washing up liquid as this will help it stick to the laurel leaves .... buy some shrub slow release fertiliser and give them a feed blood fish and bone is ideal or a rose fertiliser .... cut the dead parts out and have a good tidy underneath on the floor , remove all the old leaves and get rid dont put on the compost heap and top dress it with fresh bark .

Spruce

 

Agree with @Spruce . think its a combination of top growth damage, as your new pics do show good healthly looking shoot tips, plus some infestation of catapillars and other beasties that have sensed the plant is under stress and the leaves become softer and easier to eat ..?

Now is the best time to cut any plant back to size and shape so as he suggests give it a good cut back, reshape and cleanup to remove any remaining bugs.

If you add to your profile your location/county it can help as some of the damage may have been due to snow or frost etc.

 

Was squashing evil weevils last night. The grubs are changing into adults atm in pots outside too. Time for chemicals,nematodes etc etc