little beetle on snapdragon flower and buds - Ask Extension
how to get rid of
Knowledgebase
little beetle on snapdragon flower and buds #873781
Asked June 19, 2024, 1:22 PM EDT
how to get rid of
Boulder County Colorado
Expert Response
It is hard to be certain, but it looks like a type of root weevil. They are nocturnal so can be hard to control. The damage is typically little irregular notches in the leaves. The link below is a Fact Sheet which has some pictures and information on root weevils. About 2/3rds of the way down is a section on control of both the adults and the larva which are in the soil. You want to be careful to avoid hurting pollinators (also in the Fact Sheet)
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/root-weevils-5-551/
If you have any further questions, please let us know.
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/root-weevils-5-551/
If you have any further questions, please let us know.
Thank you so much for replying. I agree that it looks exactly like a root weevil, but it does not act like one. It gets into the buds and causes the blooming part of the plant to be misshapen and weird. No leaf biting whatsoever. Not sure what to do but so far, I’m trying to pick them off by hand. Would Neem work?
Sandy
On Jun 24, 2024, at 9:41 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
Hi Sandy,
Neem oil can be used, but would have negative impacts on our pollinators. Another option is to apply beneficial nematodes to the soil in order to disrupt the reproduction cycle. We're coming up on the best time to apply them which is mid-July through mid-September. More information can be found in the weevil fact sheet linked in our previous reply or in the following fact sheet on beneficial nematodes:
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/insect-parasitic-nematodes-5-573/
Please let us know if you have any other questions!
Neem oil can be used, but would have negative impacts on our pollinators. Another option is to apply beneficial nematodes to the soil in order to disrupt the reproduction cycle. We're coming up on the best time to apply them which is mid-July through mid-September. More information can be found in the weevil fact sheet linked in our previous reply or in the following fact sheet on beneficial nematodes:
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/insect-parasitic-nematodes-5-573/
Please let us know if you have any other questions!
