Evil weevils

[EddieF]

Looks like Sri Lanka variety eating my mango & citrus tree leaves.
I never saw them till a couple yrs ago.
Besides Bifenthrin, any other treatments ya'll have success with?
I haven't sprayed anything yet, will try the Bifenthrin at 1/4 oz/gal if nothing else works.

Thanks,
Ed

[johnb51]

Isn't the damage considered only cosmetic?

[Galatians522]

I think the real damage is girdling to the roots. There are a couple people selling predatory nematodes that kill the larvae. They attack Sri Lanken, Diaprepes, and other weevils. The live nematodes are applied through the microjet irrigation system. One of the local citrus guys (who also sells the nematodes) showed me some of the trees that he had dug up to use as examples. You could see where the weevil damage had started to heal back over after he applied the nematodes. The biggest downside I see is that the smallest incriment they sell them in is enough for 10 acres. Maybe you could get several other people together and do a group buy? One up side is that the nematodes will stick around in the soil as long as there are larvae for them to eat, so its more of a long term solution. You may want to check the rate on the bifenthrine label. I thought it was higher than 1/4 oz per gallon. However, I mostly use it for ants.

[fliptop]

I used to go around with a cup filled with soapy water and drop them in one-by-one. More recently I introduced them to my chickens, who decided they were tasty. Since then, I can't recall the last time I've seen any in the yard. The chickens are tearing everything up, but they're definitely eating some pests.

[EddieF]

Nematodes & chickens oh my! 
Googled nematodes, i have to digest that one a while.  They're tiny.
Chickens would be cool if i had extra time on my hands & ate eggs more often.
Bifenthrin yes 1oz/gal but i'd feel safer 1/4 that.  It's likely used on everything non-organic but i'd feel better using less on food trees.  1oz for ants around house outside yes sir.
Spinosad- haven't tried yet, have it, didn't work very well on citrus leaf minors, only tried once.
Neem oil- looks great on trees at first, but (for me) starts looking dirty for the rest of its life on tree.

Ed

[achetadomestica]

The Bifenthrin is the only poison I have found that works,
imidacloprid did not work for me but is suppose to be effective.
The problem is the weevils live on oak trees and every other tree
in your yard. The bifenthrin kills everything but then in 5-6 weeks
you have another cycle. Even if you hit them for 2-3 months it's impossible
to hit every tree in my yard and get rid of them. If I did my neighbors
trees would eventually reinfest my trees? I definitely don't spray the bifenthrin
on trees flowering or have fruit. I do use it allot on my small trees but it's
a temporary fix. I also used the nematodes and it helped for 6 months but
eventually the weevils came back. Frustrating

[Tropheus76]

I use Andora(something) root drench, I believe its some sort of imaclorid. If I see them I mix some in a five gallon bucket and dump it all around the roots of the tree. Then I dont see any for awhile. The worst I see them is on my Lemon Zest mango and on my Brogden avocado. They ignore my other varieties. They were pretty heavy on my key lime as well but its gone now, that last cold snap last year finished it off. I also remove any I see by hand. Shake a branch and their natural reaction is to drop off and they are easy to pick up. If its day time I throw them in the canal and the bream will eat them, if at night I squish them on pavement. This seems to keep them at bay.

Note, defoliating a tree isnt just cosmetic, I have learned from experience dealing with snakehead caterpillars that it will absolutely stunt the growth and hurt the health of the tree.

[pineislander]

Mango can easily overcome some leaf damage so I don't worry about weevils. Who knows what the roots look like but even with heavy weevils mangos still do fine. Leaf damage is much heavier on Lychee and Longan, still they bear.
The damage seems to be selective, not all mangos get eaten, other varieties in the same grove are unaffected. I notice that stressed trees get eaten worse.

[EddieF]

Appreciate everyones input.
Galatians522, i see there's a few different kinds of Nematodes.  They look to be worth trying.  Know which one  to get?

Ed

[achetadomestica]

Appreciate everyones input.
Galatians522, i see there's a few different kinds of Nematodes.  They look to be worth trying.  Know which one  to get?

Ed

 Steinernema feltiae

[Galatians522]

Appreciate everyones input.
Galatians522, i see there's a few different kinds of Nematodes.  They look to be worth trying.  Know which one  to get?

Ed

Mike is probably right, but I am not an expert in this.
However, I know someone who is. David Stephens with Southeast Ag Solutions LLC. He is the one who told me about the nematodes to begin with. You can shoot him an e-mail and he should be able to tell you all about it. The e-mail is off the business card that he gave me.

david.stephens@southeastagsolutions.com

I think they also have a website where you mightvbe able to get some information.

[EddieF]

Thank you, i visited website, emailed David & he replied quick.
Tomorrow i'll try taking photo of one for him.  Leaf notcher or sri lanka.
I see how nematodes would be better then Bifen spray if roots are getting munched on.
Light spray of Bifen would stop leaf munching quick though.

Ed

[EddieF]

Not good.  Wondering if weevils eating roots is why my mango trees & 2 citrus didn't take off & some paused for a year & 3 of them at the moment aren't growing much.

They are sri lanka, info on them here..
https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/sri_lankan_weevil.htm

I'll lightly spray tomorrow, tempted to drench 3 trees & let them hold 1 fruit each if they produce, still young anyway.  Looks like we all need to rid these things or am i getting too anxious?

Ed

[Galatians522]

Yes, they are a problem. And control is complicated by the unusual lifecycle. I have heard people say that you can keep the larva from pupating by placin thick black plastic ground cover under the tree. Supposedly it keeps them from being able to burrow into the ground.