Content
- Buchtenfraß on cherry laurel: This beetle is to blame
- Occurrence and life cycle of the beetle
- Fighting the weeping weevil
- Tips & Tricks
Buchtenfraß on cherry laurel: This beetle is to blame
If you discover semicircular food marks on the leaves of the laurel cherries, then the weevil will be found in the plant. More dangerous than the beetle, however, are the ground-living larvae that feed on the root system. Therefore, it is recommended to control the insects in case of heavy infestation with appropriate measures.
Occurrence and life cycle of the beetle
The about seven to twelve millimeters large beetle is flightless and hiding during the day in the immediate vicinity of the host plant. Only at dark he leaves his hiding place and you can find the animals with the help of a flashlight.
The first generation of beetles hatches in May and from that time on it mainly uses plants with relatively hardy foliage. In addition to the cherry laurel is often the foliage of rhododendrons, yews or spars eaten.
Between June and August, the females lay about 1000 eggs in the soil, from which hatch the thick, white larvae of the beetle. They first feed on the fine hair roots. Later, peel the epidermis from the main roots of the host plant. In heavy infestation, the laurel cherry suffers extremely and can even go down.
Fighting the weeping weevil
Once you spot the first bugs on the cherry laurel you should try to capture them. For this purpose, put flowerpots filled with wood wool under the bushes. Alternatively, you can lay rotten, slightly moistened wooden boards. The weeping weevils crawl under these traps and you can pick them up during the day.
In severe infestation, however, this measure is not enough. In this case, the control takes place with nematodes, which you can purchase from specialist retailers. Proceed as follows:
Tips & Tricks
Shrew and hedgehog are natural enemies of the weevil. If you create sanctuaries for beneficial insects in your garden, the pests can not multiply excessively. The casting with wormwood manure should keep the voracious beetles away.
SKb