The MGS Forum

Gardening in mediterranean climates => Pests and diseases => Topic started by: ritamax on September 12, 2012, 11:30:25 AM

Title: Article about the agave weevil in Spain
Post by: ritamax on September 12, 2012, 11:30:25 AM

I hope you can read the text in this small size. Basically the article in Costa Blanca News says, that the workers at La Mata-Torrevieja natural park (Costa Blanca South) "use" the agave weevil as an unusual ally to fight the invasive agave plants, which they have tried to remove for several years. The park spokesman told, that the agave weevil is at the moment an ally against the agaves, but one doesn't know how it will affect the native plant life in the future.

Title: Re: Article about the agave weevil in Spain
Post by: Alisdair on September 14, 2012, 03:28:51 PM

Sounds scary!

Title: Re: Article about the agave weevil in Spain
Post by: Jill S on September 14, 2012, 10:07:16 PM

Here we go again!!

Title: Re: Article about the agave weevil in Spain
Post by: John on October 13, 2012, 08:14:52 AM

The article doesn't actually say they introduced it so it may have been accidentally introduced . I can't imagine that today people would risk introducing such an unknown potentially problematic insect.
It is proposed (and may have happened) that a beetle from Japan be released in the UK to control Reynoutria japonica (Japanese Knotweed). If it has been tested I wonder what else it might eat especially when the Knotweed is controlled? Ornamentals e.g. Reynoutria baldschuanica (Russian Vine) which some might well approve of but what about natives in the Polygonaceae and there is a crop plant too, Rhubarb!