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Nematodes & late night hunting...

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  • DevonianDevonian Posts: 176
    Thanks James, I'm surprised they had any chance of leaf-nibbling given the wind we had last night! 

    I'll be at 'em!

    And there I was thinking that Heleniums are relatively safe from Weevils... 
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I just went out and found a couple more on that alpine planter :| 
    You've got your work cut out for the next couple of weeks!! Keep us updated! 👍🏻
    I just found one on the wall by the back door. At least it was making it easy for me.
    Last year I found nearly 400 adults and several hundred grubs in total so I'm definitely down on that amount this year.

    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    Devonian said:
    Thanks James, I'm surprised they had any chance of leaf-nibbling given the wind we had last night! 

    I'll be at 'em!

    And there I was thinking that Heleniums are relatively safe from Weevils... 
    No probs.  From my experience, they are are not picky when it comes to what they nibble on.

    I've found them on plants that are on the "safe list" I found online.

    If they are around they will go on pretty much anything.

    The weather doesn't seem to put them off either.  I found some last night and it was raining and really windy.

    I'm making it my mission to find something that attracts them.  I will find it.  I wanna be like the pied piper for weevils!  Haha!  

    You can see how much they get to me.  Having a pots-only garden is very stressful!
  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    Just one last night and one tonight so far. 

    Last night's was pure luck. I had switched off the torch and was heading in when I heard a crunch underfoot.  Looked down and I'd stood on a big one walking towards the Geum pot. Result!!

    Tonight I found another large one on the wall walking towards the table and the pot I knock them into! 

    They're making it easy!! 

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    A slow start but I found a hoard hiding in the hylotelephiums to bring the night's total to seven. Tonight's wildlife highlight was watching a mouse creep down to the pond for a drink.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    Thought you might find this interesting.  I've just found it so will look into it further:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-50476174
  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    The study will conclude this October (if COVID hasn't slowed down their work)
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    So I just need some sort of trap and a couple of incontinent weevils and I can go to bed early for once? It seems a bit pointless for gardeners when a quick night hunt with a torch will tell you if you have weevils or not though but it would be nice not to worry that plants you're buying are going to infect the garden. I wonder how far the smell travels? I wouldn't want to go attracting weevils from miles around either.
    My new theory is that some nocturnal insects have pigments that glow under UV light. From what I can tell vine weevil eyes should glow blue at least and this may make them easier to spot. I'm going to try and get hold of a UV torch to try out and see if it's of any help at all. If nothing else it might make for fun macro photography.
    Last night I only found five despite the weather being ideal for them. I take this as a good sign.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    edited August 2020
    Interesting @jamessayersbrown. Probably will only work under glass or in polytunnels though.
    Till then it's onwards and upwards with the umbrella and broom, although need to stock up on brollies!
    Found 4 last night 
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Weevils not brollies!
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