It’s that time of year that adult root weevils appear in landscapes in our area. You can find these bugs on azaleas, primroses and other broadleaf ornamentals. Look for fresh evidence of feeding as evidenced by notching at leaf edges or stripped bark at the base of shrubs. You can sprat adult weevils with insecticide or you can try sticky trap products on plant trunks to trap adult weevils. Protect against damaging the bark by applying the sticky material on a 4-inch wide band of poly sheeting or burlap wrapped around the trunk. Mark plants now and manage root weevils with beneficial nematodes when soil temperatures are above 55°F. If root weevils are a consistent problem, consider removing plants and choosing resistant varieties. Some varieties such as Rhododendron impeditum and Heliolepsis series do not get root weevils. All plants are more disease and insect resistant when you start with a healthy plant and use good planting techniques and care.
