A combination of control measures is the best strategy for combating vine weevi

摘要

Vine weevil has proved to be an increasing problem for soft fruit growers ever since the withdrawal of Aldrin in 1989 (and DDT before that) and the use of polythene mulches became the norm. Various methods are used to control the pest but none are sufficient alone and even if it is apparently wiped out after treatment, its demise is never permanent. Aldrin and DDT, both organochlorines, were very effective and their persistence meant that generally just one treatment protected the crop for its lifetime. But their activity was indiscriminate as they also killed vine weevil predators and other insects.