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Current Pest & Disease troubles..
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Pests & Diseases
Home page of the pest, disease and weed department.
Every week something is attacking your plants. Check them out and be prepared to deal with the situation.
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Views this month. 143 ... Views this year. 143
Vineweevil grubsType: Insect larve. Threat level: 9
Invaders from over the fence.
Throughout the year, there will always be something munching away at your prized plants, and a disease or two hiding unseen but still potentially a threat. Animals too manage to do their share of damage to the extent that I sometimes wonder why do we bother? This page will help to alert the gardener of the likely problems occuring this week and enable observation of any outbreaks of disease or build-up of pests before plants are ruined.
Thumbnail snapshot.
This snapshot gives a general overview of this weeks common pest and disease problems. Some or all may be affecting your garden this week but threats can vary considerably according to local variations in climate and habitat.
More detailed information is availabe lower down the page, and a search facility is available to assist you to track down any of the more obscure troubles.
Legend.
Level
No problem.
nuisance.
required.
ignore.
problem.
it gets.
This weeks snapshot of troubles.
Vineweevil grubs
Threat level - 9
Spidermite
Threat level - 6
Detailed Views.
Listed below are the descriptions and larger images of this weeks garden pest and disease problems.
Vineweevil grubs
- Pest type - Insect larve
- Current threat level - 9
- Infects - Roots,
- Host plants- Bedding plants, Small perennials, Fuchsia, Other, Non-specific,
- Symptoms- Plants wilt: Plants loose in soil: Feeble or non-existant growth in spring:
Vine weevil grubs are a hidden menace tending to lurk in the loose compost of flower containers. Their presence usually goes unnoticed until you investigate why a plant is not growing too well and it comes away from the compost without any roots.
Close examination of the immediate area will reveal dozens of these small white maggots with orange head. These are the larve of the vine weevil, a small dark coloured beetle-like creature that also tends to go unseen due to its nocturnal habits.
Although these grubs tend to infect bedding plants and small 'rosette' type plants with soft roots, they do attack tougher looking woody plants, espesially when growing in containers. Fuchsias are a particular favourite.
The only reliable treatment for these weevil grubs is watering the soil with a systemic insecticide called Imidaciprid usually sold under the trade name of Provado.
This treatment must be applied early in the growing cycle of the grub otherwise you will not save the plants.
Return to Snapshot view of this week's troubles.
Spidermite
- Pest type - Insect mite
- Current threat level - 6
- Infects - Foliage,
- Host plants- Pot plants, Herbaceous, Other,
- Symptoms- Masses of small yellow dots on foliage: Fine cobwebs on tips of shoots: Leaves turn yellow and drop off:
Spider mites are so small thay are difficult to see with the naked eye but the damage caused by the multitudes of these mites can be severe. Outbreaks can be fatal if allowed to run un-checked and plants in the house, conservatory or greenhouse are frequently affected.
The spidermites thrive in a warm situation with dry air where they will multiply rapidly. Colonies produce fine cobwebs near the tips of plants and this is usually the first visible indication of their presence. As the infection continues, leaves develop minute yellow spots before completely losing colour and dropping off.
Outbreaks can be minimised by providing a humid atmosphere for the growing plants but this is not easy in the home. Spraying with systemic insecticide is the only real cure once plants are infected.
Return to Snapshot view of this week's troubles.