Vine Weevil

Of over 500 species of weevil native to the British Isles, only one is a serious pest of cyclamen, the black vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus). Since the withdrawal of aldrin, damage from vine weevil has become an acute problem, as this pesticide provided effective control in commercial nurseries and farms (reducing the overall population of the pest and the chances of infestation from purchased material)

Biology of the Pest

Adult weevils feed at night, consuming leaf edges and leaving characteristic semi-circular notches where they have fed. Particular favourites include Rhododendron, vines and their relatives such as Rhoicissus rhomboidea and Cissus antarctica. Although of significance to commercial growers because of the unsightly appearance of damaged leaves, the adults do not cause serious or lasting harm to the plants they feed on. They tend to drop off and play dead when the plants they are feeding on are disturbed, making them difficult to detect. Modified legs enable the adults to grip any surface and they can easily cross walls and ceilings to lay eggs in hanging baskets etc. Although they are unable to fly, distribution of adults can be widespread thanks to this gripping ability, with plants and material dispatched from nurseries the commonest method of "hitching a ride.