WEEVIL & WHITE GRUB
Pictured above: Typical Weevil damage on Rhodo plants
We offer different types of Weevil Control, such as the Weevilution and Cold Shots as listed in the beneficial nematodes page. However, we do have more options for tackling weevils. The life cycle of the black vine weevil is that eggs are laid in the summer, and hatch out into larvae starting in mid-August. Early to mid-September is the best time to attack them as the larvae are still small and easier to kill with nematodes, and, if you apply nematodes within that window, the soil temperatures will be ideal for the nematodes to be active.
For weevils, you have 2 choices and application windows:
Steinernema kraussei (S.k, Cold Shots) are applied early in the year, and can be purchased in retail packs as listed in our nematode page as well as bulk sizes for larger operations. The application window is typically in April, when soil temperatures exceed 5C.
The second species is Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (H.b, Weevilution), which can be applied in early May when soil temperatures exceed 10-12C.
New weevils begin to hatch mid August, so we recommend applications of H.b from early September to about the third week of September to get a handle on the second wave of larvae. This application can be follow up with S.k in October once soil temperatures fall below 10-12C.
Stratiolaelaps (Hypoaspis) should be used only once, on new areas as an inoculation as they will stay in the soil for the life of the crop. They are primarily purchased as fungus gnat egg and larvae predators; however, this generalist mite will also go after diapausing pest mites when they leave the crop, and help with Weevils by going after immature stages of Weevil's that live in the soil.
White grub/chafer info: coming soon
Hype-O (Stratiolaelaps scimitus / Hypoaspis miles):
3,000 Mites (22742): $19.00 suited for areas up to 200 square feet
1L tube (25,000 mites) (22740): $45.00 for areas 1,000-2,000 square feet Buy 3 or more: $35.00/1L