Article about the agave weevil in Spain

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ritamax

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Article about the agave weevil in Spain
« 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.
Hobbygardener (MGS member) with a rooftop garden in Basel and a garden on heavy clay with sand 600m from seaside in Costa Blanca South (precipitation 300mm), learning to garden waterwise

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Alisdair

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Re: Article about the agave weevil in Spain
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2012, 03:28:51 PM »
Sounds scary!
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

Jill S

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Re: Article about the agave weevil in Spain
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2012, 10:07:16 PM »
Here we go again!!
Member of RHS and MGS. Gardens in Surrey, UK and, whenever I get the chance, on Paros, Greece where the learning curve is not the only thing that's steep.

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John

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Re: Article about the agave weevil in Spain
« Reply #3 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!
John
Horticulturist, photographer, author, garden designer and plant breeder; MGS member and RHS committee member. I garden at home in SW London and also at work in South London.