Cockchafers! (or Vine Weevils actually!)

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Faz

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Cockchafers! (or Vine Weevils actually!)
« on: March 13, 2009, 11:41 »
Hello there.

I have just had a look at my strawberries from last year, which were grown in pots, only to discover that the compost is riddled with cockchafers and the little blighters have eaten most of the strawberry plant roots and they have mostly died.

This also happened to me a couple of years ago with an ornamental plant, which died off and when I looked in the compost it was the same.

Is there any way I can prevent this happening? I fortunately still have some plants which i rooted from runners last year, but don't want them to go the same way. Planting in the ground rather than in pots seems like a good way to go, but is not entirely convenient.

Little blighters!
« Last Edit: March 13, 2009, 19:59 by Faz »

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andreadon

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Re: Cockchafers!
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2009, 12:31 »
are you sure they're cockchafers? Small isn't the word I'd use to describe them....
 :ohmy:
plus, it's a little bit early for them - they're also called maybugs and the name says it all....


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Faz

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Re: Cockchafers!
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2009, 13:11 »
white grubs with an orangey brown head that curl up when disturbed. If they aren't cockchafers then I don't know what they are :)

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madcat

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Re: Cockchafers!
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2009, 13:46 »
That them - cockchafer larvae!  Usually found in lawns ...  Only good thing about them is that the robin adores eating them.  And if you have them you also have eggs.   :(

Fresh compost and pots off the ground is the only thing I can suggest ..
All we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about (Charles Kingsley)

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andreadon

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Re: Cockchafers!
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2009, 14:02 »
oh yeah, larvae. that makes more sense.
i'll shut up now.

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Debz

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Re: Cockchafers!
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2009, 15:07 »
They sound a bit like vine weevil larvae to me.  Is that the same thing but with a different name.  If it is evil weevil pick them out and squash them or leave them on a path for your friendly robin to eat them all up.  I hate the little beggars (weevils not robins). >:(

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Stripey_cat

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Re: Cockchafers!
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2009, 16:17 »
If you're out a lot, you'll probably manage to tame some of the local birds!  They'll be nesting soon, so grubs on the path or even hand-fed later in the spring will be very welcome.

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deezkatz

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Re: Cockchafers!
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2009, 18:09 »
omg please dont tell me they could be in my compost!!!
we have maybugs here, out of everything they frighten me to death nearly!!! i just hate stuff buzzing around, they are horrid and are always getting in the house :(
think i'll get him indoors to check the strawberries!!!1
Dee

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celjaci

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Re: Cockchafers!
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2009, 18:17 »
If there are more than 1 or 2 and they are no more than 1cm in length they are more likely to be vine weevils.

You can by potting compost with chemicals in  to kill/prevent vine weevils but then I don't think I'd want to eat the stawberries.

There is a biological control - a nematode which parasitises the vine weevil but it needs reasonable temperatures to work well
Playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order!

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Faz

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Re: Cockchafers! (or Vine Weevils actually!)
« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2009, 20:05 »
Your correct, having just done a google they definitely look like vine weevils. And there's loads of em, definitely more than 1 or 2!

This page says that centipedes are a natural predator - so it looks like I'll just have to pop my strawberries in the ground, maybe I can knock together a small raised bed for them.

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pete

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Re: Cockchafers! (or Vine Weevils actually!)
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2009, 11:22 »
Aha,

You have answered a question of what is lurking in my compost.

Mine are cockchafers.

Thanks you guys!!

Pete.



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