MID APRIL – the adults emerge from virtual hibernation and begin feeding on the leaves of live plants. The damage they do is not great but this is your first indication of a problem.

The nematodes kill the fungus gnat larvae, which are hiding in the soil of your plants and hatching into more gnats. This prevents new flies from hatching and breaks the lifecycle. However, they can’t jump upwards, and they can’t fly. So if you see a bug doing either of these things, you’re looking at a different pest. Vine weevil-resistant plants Mix this powder in a 1.5L watering can and water the soil around your plant. Keep the soil moist for two weeks. The nematodes in your biological control product are definitely not these types of nematodes. They only predate on insects and cannot interact with mammals such as dogs or cats. Positioning our Nematop Adult Vine Weevil Traps in the summer (June - Sept) will reduce the number of adults, which will help to reduce the population of vine weevil in your garden and stop the damage to your plants.Where should I apply Nemasys Vine Weevil Killer? On to the soil or compost that is infested with the larvae. Unlike drip irrigation, which is best applied in the first irrigation of the day, when using conventional spray equipment, apply in the late afternoon or evening to avoid harmful effects of high temperatures and UV light. Do not let the soil dry out for at least the following 4 weeks, as the nematodes need moisture to survive. Ensure that the nematode suspension is agitated prior to and during injection into the irrigation lines, either by hand stirring, using a mechanical propeller at low revs or by bubbling using an air pump.

Parasitoid wasps, Leptomastix species, Leptomastideaspeciesand Anagrusspecies. These are often available in combinations and with Cryptolaemusfor mealybug control.These parasiotoids are good at searching for mealybugs and can find them when populations are small. Encourage wildlife in the garden. Vine weevils and their grubs are eaten by a variety of predators such as birds, frogs, toads, shrews, hedgehogs and predatory ground and rovebeetles As a rule of thumb for application to containers, the total volume of water applied (including that used for nematode application and that used for irrigation afterwards) should be approximately 10% of the pot volume, but this will depend on substrate moisture content prior to application. For example, for a 7-litre pot, a total of 700 ml of water should be applied.Apply to moist substrate or soil and if necessary, irrigate before application. Nematodes need moisture to survive and move. Sufficient moisture The grubs which eat the roots. do their damage from mid-August to March the next year although winter temperatures slow them down considerably. They are roughly 10mm long (just under half an inch), creamy white with a distinctive brown head and shaped like the letter C. PLANTS MOST AFFECTED BY VINE WEEVIL How much damage is caused to plants by the circular notches that the adult vine weevils make around the leaves? The circular notches, whilst unsightly, are unlikely to kill the plants. However, they are a timely reminder that there is a vine weevil problem that will need to be dealt with at the larval stage.

Adult vine weevils nibble on your plant leaves at night, but it’s actually the larvae that do most of the damage by eating your roots in the soil.

The adult beetles feed on the foliage of many herbaceous plants and shrubs, especially Rhododendron, evergreen Euonymus , Hydrangea , Epimedium, Bergenia, Primula and strawberry. Adults rarely cause enough damage to affect the vigour of plants.

Slugs. The grandly named Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita is another weapon in the arsenal against slugs. The nematodes can modify the slug's behaviour so that it remains below the ground surface before death. After eating the cadaver, the nematodes produce another generation, which move off through the soil in search of new slug hosts. Slug nematodes are killed off in soil after 6 weeks by a predatory fungus, so repeated applications don't work : and unfortunately, they don't live long in the soil, which is why you need to be very time accurate in applying- just when shoots are emerging or potato tubers forming for example. They are ideal for protecting hedges, patio gardens, raised beds or amongst your most vulnerable or valuable plants. Position Nematop Adult Vine Weevil Traps in the summer when adult vine weevils are at their most active. Regularly inspect the leaves for signs of damage at the edges which may indicate the adult vine weevils are active. Do this especially between April and early August.Their body is also pear-shaped from above, and clearly divided into two segments. Vine weevil treatment UK Nematodes If adult insects are present, their eggs will be hatching soon. Again, you may have to make repeat applications. The two chemicals available for killing vine weevils are Scotts Miracle-Gro BugClear Ultra Vine Weevil Killer and Bayer Provado Vine Weevil Killer 2. Provado lasts twice as long as the Scotts product. Provado especially is thought to harm bees but you must make up your own mind. LIFE CYCLE OF THE VINE WEEVIL No, for example fungus gnat nematodes can be applied to a single plant pot with a minimal fungus gnat infestation to stamp it out early.