Black Vine Weevil Carboard Trap

An "Evil Weevil" from my float garden.

When I cut down my daffodils, I uncovered a cluster of beetles on the ground. The oval shape with a pointed snout made we immediately guess weevil.

I did some research and believe they are Black Vine Weevils. I also discovered the small white legless grubs with orangish heads I found in an old dahlia pot are the larval form of these weevils. It's the grubs that cause the greatest harm in the garden by eating roots. 

Tap cardboard traps on the ground to dislodge hiding weevils.

Known as the "Evil Weevil" in the gardening world, now is a good time to eradicate them is before they lay eggs. One adult can lay 500 eggs, and because they are capable of parthenogenesis (eggs don't require fertilization to mature) they are very prolific.

Make a cardboard trap.

I decided to use a manual approach. The beetles are nocturnal eaters, and hide during the day. Look for scalloped edges on leaves to find them.

Use a flashlight at night to pick the slow moving beetles off plants and drop them into soapy water.

Strip off one side of the cardboard.

Or during the day, explore shady spots under plants.

Rather than soapy water, I turn the weevils into fish food by flicking them into the lake next to my floating garden.

I read about cardboard traps and gave them a try.

Tape into a tube, cover if needed.

I stripped off one side of cardboard to reveal the corrugated interior. I cut and rolled it into a tube with the rippled side inward. Because we get lots of rain, I covered the outside with duck tape to protect the cardboard.

The first night I caught three weevils in my trap. With that success, I'll make some more. 

Do you have Evil Weevils in your garden? What do you do to get rid of them? -- Margy