Vine Weevil on Japanese Maple
How to identify and get rid of vine weevil on Japanese Maple. Size: 8–10mm.
Identifying vine weevil on Japanese Maple
Adults notch the edges of leaves at night, while below ground, white C-shaped grubs feed on roots, potentially causing decline in container-grown trees especially.
Life cycle
Adults emerge spring/summer. Larvae overwinter in soil eating roots. One generation per year.
Damage to Japanese Maple
Adult notching is mostly cosmetic on an established tree, but the root-feeding larvae can seriously damage container-grown or young Japanese Maples, sometimes causing sudden collapse.
How to treat vine weevil on Japanese Maple
Apply nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to moist soil around the root zone in spring or autumn, and use sticky traps to monitor and catch adult weevils.
Preventing vine weevil on Japanese Maple
Check the root ball for grubs when repotting container-grown trees, and apply preventive nematode treatments if vine weevil has been a recurring problem.