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AGAVE WEEVIL STRIKES AGAIN
Helpful member
One of my big agave plants keeled over last week and I was disheartened to see that it had rotted off at the root, a sure sign of the agave weevil. I had an attack a couple of years ago and after treatment some of them recovered. It's usually a hopeless case if you get it and the only answer is a trip to the tip. The suggested treatment is to soak round the roots using an insecticide containing IMIDACLOPRID. I mix it up in a watering can and just pour it over and around the plants ensuring the soil is well soaked as the plant sucks the insecticide up and it reaches all parts of the plant to kill the burrowing beetles.
The beetle is not fussy which agave it goes for attacking the green ones and the green and yellow ones with equal abandon.
Unfortunately by the time you see the first casualty you could be thoroughly infected so you have to do everywhere with the mixture. To check a plant, get hold of the centre spire and rock it back and forth. If it breaks off you will easily see the damage. It usually breaks off as the entire plant not just a leaf or two.
When handling them wear leather gloves as the spikes are very hard, take care to protect your eyes from these and also the plants can be very heavy.
If you put Agave Weevil into Google there is a lot more info on there.
