Arthropods Daily – Issue No. 57

The black vine weevil is a matte black, flightless adult weevil that feeds at night on the edges of leaves, causing notched margins. It primarily damages broadleaved evergreen plants but can also attack a wide range of garden plants. Female weevils can reproduce parthenogenetically, with fertilization required to produce males. The larvae, or grubs, live below the soil surface and feed on roots, causing damage to herbaceous plants in containers. Control methods include using sticky barriers on plant trunks, manually removing adults at night, and utilizing entomopathogenic nematodes.