During the late summer, the adult black vine weevil begins egg laying, depositing an average of 200 eggs in the soil or leaf litter during their 90-100 day lifespan. Eggs hatch in 2-3 weeks and the larvae begin to feed on small plant rootlets. As larvae mature, they begin to feed on larger roots and underground stems.

In the fall, maturing larvae continue to feed on roots until the soil temperatures drop, signaling them to move deeper in the soil, where they overwinter and reemerge in the spring.

Fall treatment reduces overwintering larval population and can save you money.  

NemaShield® HB, (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora) is an effective control for the larval stage.  For best results, apply when the moisture content of the soil is high and the soil temperature is between 50-85°F. When applied to the soil with water, the nematodes search for the larva, enter them through their openings, and use them as a food source. The black vine weevil larvae die within a few days; the nematodes multiply and continue to look for more larvae. Applying NemaShield HB in the fall reduces the overwintering larval population and saves you money on adult applications in the spring.

Control for both adult and larval stages.

BotaniGard® is an entomopathogenic fungus that is effective in controlling black vine weevil in both the adult and larval stages. When BotaniGard spores come in contact with the BVW, they germinate and begin to grow through the cuticle of the insect where it spreads and eventually fills the body cavity with a fungal mass until it kills the insect. BotaniGard is available in a wettable powder and an emulsifiable suspension and is an excellent tool for resistance management.

With NemaShield HB and BotaniGard, growers have two great options to control black vine weevil which makes your life a little bit easier.