Strawberry Root Weevil: How to Control Them Naturally

Strawberry Root Weevil

Otiorhynchus ovatus

Small, dark, flightless weevils whose larvae eat the roots and crowns of strawberries and many shrubs, while the adults notch the leaves.

How to control strawberry root weevil

Use: Ecomask Spray (also works: Scanmask Spray, Heteromask Spray, Ecomask Topdressing, Scanmask Topdressing)
When: Mid to late August, while the soil is still warm. Early May can also help. With Scanmask or Heteromask, March to June.
Where: The soil at the strawberry crowns, kept moist, applied in the evening or on a cloudy day.

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What it looks like

Adult strawberry root weevils are small, dark brown to black, pear-shaped weevils that can't fly. They're close relatives of the black vine weevil. The larvae are small, legless, C-shaped, and cream-colored with a brown head.

The larvae spend the winter in the soil feeding on roots, then become adults in late spring and summer. Adults feed at night and wander into houses in summer.

Damage

The larvae eat the roots and crowns of strawberries, evergreens, and many other plants, causing wilting, stunting, and sometimes plant death. The adults chew notches in the edges of leaves.

How nematodes help

The beneficial nematodes in BioLogic's products hunt down weevil larvae in the soil, around the roots where they feed.

How to apply

Treat with Ecomask in mid to late August, while the soil is still warm. An application in early May can also help. Scanmask and Heteromask also work, applied from March to June.

Treat the soil at the strawberry crowns, keeping it moist. Apply in the evening or on a cloudy day.

See How to apply for step-by-step directions, or use the calculator on the Ecomask Spray page to see how much you need.