If A Grape Elephant Comes To See You

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

At first glance, indoor plants are under better protection than garden plants - there are no uninvited insects, weather surprises, etc. However, there are many dangers in store for indoor "green" pets. For example, a seemingly harmless guest with a proboscis. He is better known as the weevil or grape elephant - a serious enemy of potted plants. What to expect from it, and how to protect yourself from it?

Named because of the long nose

This pest belongs to the beetle family. Its length does not exceed 1.5cm. In Russia, there are about 5,000 species of weevils, and in the world - almost 45,000. Indoor pests are distinguished by an elongated head, which, as a rule, is shorter than the body. They got their name for a reason, since they are a bit like representatives of the elephant family, thanks to their long proboscis - weevil. Their larvae have a creamy white color and settle in the soil at the roots of the plant.

The peculiarity of the elephant is its seasonal nature. Basically, beetles appear on plants in the spring-summer period, due to fresh air and an increase in temperature. Therefore, the bugs are very revitalized when airing and "walking" the plants on the balcony. However, you can become infected with pest larvae at any time of the year by purchasing a new plant with already infected soil.

Double attack

The elephant is very fond of cyclamens, primroses, begonias, fuchsias, but on geraniums it is found much less often. True, he is ready to diversify the diet at any time. Those plants that are taken out into the garden for the summer are even more at risk of infection.

The bug attacks from two positions at once: from above - by insects, from below - by larvae. This double attack is very detrimental to the life of the plant. In the first case, the damage is done to the leaves - the bugs eat them like the Colorado minke whales. Bulbs, tubers and rhizomes suffer greatly from the larvae. If the bugs can still be collected by hand and destroyed, then the larvae are more difficult to detect. They, like invisible soldiers, inflict serious damage.

Rip into the root

The elephant is a rather stubborn and agile pest. Getting rid of it is not easy, but it is possible. First of all, at the first suspicion of the appearance of a weevil - the plant begins to wither for no apparent reason - you need to examine the soil and roots. If you notice white, slightly shriveled larvae in the soil, near the roots of a green pet, then you can be sure that the weevil "works" here.

Like larvae, beetles are very voracious and nimble, so you need to take action as soon as an intruder is identified. It is important to remember to isolate the infected plant. And then create the most uncomfortable conditions for the weevil by placing, for example, a pot with an affected plant in a bowl of water. The pest cannot fly and swim, so the water will serve as a serious obstacle, preventing it from moving to healthy plants. A small layer of gravel (up to 3cm) placed around the flower can also pose a significant barrier to the elephant.

It is quite enough and just to manually collect the bugs. It is worth remembering that at night they like to eat actively, so you won't have to look for them for a long time. But you can also use an insecticide. The most effective composition is inta-vira or fufan, but only at the initial stage of damage to leaves and roots. It is better to water with the drug in the morning. These funds are good to use as preventive measures.

Larvae are even more insidious

In the struggle and hatching of the larvae, it is worth being patient. Once they have taken hold of the roots of a plant, it is not easy to save it. However, you can try. First of all, the roots of the plant are cleared from the soil. Then they are placed in an aqueous solution of iodine and potassium permanganate. It usually takes more than 15 days for a flower to heal under air or water hydroponics. The plant that has passed the processing procedure should be planted in fresh soil, destroying the old one along with dry leaves and damaged roots.

When purchasing new potted plants, be sure to carefully check their soil and root system, and before planting in the ground, it is better to disinfect them by keeping them in an antiseptic solution for a day. This will help your pets to avoid meeting with an uninvited nosy pest.