Vine Weevil
Otiorhynchus sulcatus - these are creamy-white larvae, about 1.5cm (half inch) long with brown heads. Rarely a problem in the open, they mainly affect the soil in greenhouses.

 

They are not fussy eaters, they enjoy the roots, stems and leaves of many plants. This causes the plants to wilt and die. Unfortunately, they are becoming more common.

How to Treat Vine Weevil
The traditional treatment was to mix in gamma HCH dust into the top layer of the soil. Maybe the  weevils have become immune to this or maybe it never worked very well. Either way, it does little to deter these pests.

 

There is a relatively 'new' biological treatment available from some garden centres - a nematode called 'Nemesis' which enjoys eating the weevils. It does seem to make a real difference.

In the end, if your greenhouse soil is seriously infected, the best solution is to remove the top 20 cm (9inches) of the soil and replace it with new top soil.

 

 

BACK TO PREVIOUS PAGE