Warning! Viburnum Beetle Is Back!

Some years ago there was a serious epidemic of Viburnum beetle in this country and it was named as the number one pest for that year.

I have now noticed it in serious quantity on our viburnums. So you may wish to look out for it. It will strip the leaves and make the remaining bits of leaves and stems go black. The plant does recover.

It's almost too late to spray for it - but not quite.

Check your Viburnums.

It only attacks particular species so check here all about it.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=556

 

No need to hard prune as that defeats the object of growing Viburnum - because you'll be pruning off the flowering stems. It's a bit late to give it the second spraying (should be done in early May and early August) but I'd do that anyway.

The bad smell is thought to be the poo of the beetle that it uses to cover the hole in the stems where it has laid the eggs. The eggs are laid in dead wood and at the tips of year old wood (next year's flowering stems) so you can remove the dead wood but not the year old stems. If the leaves have been stripped it can be a bit more difficult to distinguish between the two.

Clear any detritus lying on the ground as the larvae usually drop to the ground to pupate and with the peculiar weather we've had this year it's just an added protection against any that may still be around.

So, try spraying now (probably won't do much) and spray in early Spring. Then spray again in mid-Spring.

I see that you say you're a Zoo gardener. Is that Colchester Zoo?

 

So the thoughts "Those humans look tasty." are only from some of the residents and not the management