Camellias
are gorgeous blooming harbingers of spring. Unfortunately, their beauty can be
significantly marred by holes in camellia leaves. Beetles on camellias are the
likely culprit, but controlling camellia weevils can be difficult to achieve since
the pests feed mostly at night. If your camellia plant has holes, it is most
likely the result of the camellia vine weevil or cranberry rootworm beetle.
About Beetles on Camellias
If you see holes in your camellia leaves, the likely
suspects are twofold: the black
vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus, or the cranberry rootworm
beetle, Rhabdopterus picipes. The adult beetles feed primarily at night
while their larvae feed on the root system, making them difficult to identify
and control.
The black vine weevil is most detrimental in its larval
stage. It feeds on a variety of broad leaf evergreens as well as greenhouse
specimens. Adults are equal opportunists and ravage both herbaceous and
deciduous plants, and can be found through much of the northern U.S. and into
Canada.
This camellia vine weevil overwinters in the grub stage and
then awakens in the spring as the soil warms. Adults feed and make holes in
camellia leaves and then lay eggs at the base of the host plant in the late
summer. Plants that have large numbers of grubs feeding on them can die.
The cranberry rootworm beetle feeds on camellia leaves,
leaving tell-tale narrow or crescent shaped holes in the foliage. New growth is
most affected.
Generally, the damage done by these pests is purely
cosmetic.
Controlling Camellia Weevils
To control camellia vine weevils, use sticky traps placed on
the ground around the plant. Shake the plant to dislodge the weevils. If you
see adults adhere to the sticky traps, dig around the camellia and pick out the
small, legless grubs. Dispatch these in a bowl of hot, soapy water.
Also, keep the area surrounding the camellia free from
debris that camellia vine weevils hide in during the day.
If the insect infestation is severe and the above actions do
not control it, spray the foliage with a natural insecticide like spinosad or
bifenthrin, lambda cyhalothrin, or permethrin once flowering is done and
feeding damage can be seen.
You should also spray and saturate the leaf litter beneath
the plants. Again, do not spray during bloom time, which will affect beneficial
pollinating insects and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Camellias
are gorgeous blooming harbingers of spring. Unfortunately, their beauty can be
significantly marred by holes in camellia leaves. Beetles on camellias are the
likely culprit, but controlling camellia weevils can be difficult to achieve since
the pests feed mostly at night. If your camellia plant has holes, it is most
likely the result of the camellia vine weevil or cranberry rootworm beetle.
About Beetles on Camellias
If you see holes in your camellia leaves, the likely
suspects are twofold: the black
vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus, or the cranberry rootworm
beetle, Rhabdopterus picipes. The adult beetles feed primarily at night
while their larvae feed on the root system, making them difficult to identify
and control.
The black vine weevil is most detrimental in its larval
stage. It feeds on a variety of broad leaf evergreens as well as greenhouse
specimens. Adults are equal opportunists and ravage both herbaceous and
deciduous plants, and can be found through much of the northern U.S. and into
Canada.
This camellia vine weevil overwinters in the grub stage and
then awakens in the spring as the soil warms. Adults feed and make holes in
camellia leaves and then lay eggs at the base of the host plant in the late
summer. Plants that have large numbers of grubs feeding on them can die.
The cranberry rootworm beetle feeds on camellia leaves,
leaving tell-tale narrow or crescent shaped holes in the foliage. New growth is
most affected.
Generally, the damage done by these pests is purely
cosmetic.
Controlling Camellia Weevils
To control camellia vine weevils, use sticky traps placed on
the ground around the plant. Shake the plant to dislodge the weevils. If you
see adults adhere to the sticky traps, dig around the camellia and pick out the
small, legless grubs. Dispatch these in a bowl of hot, soapy water.
Also, keep the area surrounding the camellia free from
debris that camellia vine weevils hide in during the day.
If the insect infestation is severe and the above actions do
not control it, spray the foliage with a natural insecticide like spinosad or
bifenthrin, lambda cyhalothrin, or permethrin once flowering is done and
feeding damage can be seen.
You should also spray and saturate the leaf litter beneath
the plants. Again, do not spray during bloom time, which will affect beneficial
pollinating insects and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.