root weevils

I have a large root weevil problem in parts of my yard. Although I am organic when it comes to my vegetable garden, I might have to go non-organic on these devils. I have tried nemetodes (some help, not enough) and various dish-washing sprays. There are too many to use Tanglefoot and pick them off. Any suggestions?

I use the Bayer Complete Insect granular.
But you were to put it out in July and then Oct. Doing it in July is to get the worm stage and then in Oct. the beetle stage. I have a big problem too so will have to try to battle it better this year. Did put out some Bayer in July but now wished had done more. Some people have good luck with the sponge nematodes but haven't tried that yet. Seems to be a pain in the neck to use tho and have to have the right temp. to do it too.
Carol

toby_patsy, I feel your pain in a most personal way. I prefer to use organic practices, too. But with 3/4 of an acre and a huge infestation of root weevils when I moved in, I tried the organic route to no avail. It's just too much work and very little to show for it. I tried for two years and they just got worse and worse. I used the nematodes, but my place is too big to be repeating that every year as required. It's too costly. I also have spent many hours lurking in my garden in the dark of night picking them off by hand.
I have found that the best solution for me is to use acephate - otherwise known as Orthene. It is one of the only pesticides that lists weevils. Ortho does not sell it as Orthene anymore, I'm not sure why. But they do sell Systemic Insect Killer, which has the same chemical.
I spoke to a representative of the Rhododendron Society about these creatures last year and she told me that this was the best pesticide to use, and to make sure that if I had any Salal on my property that I treated that. She called it the 'host' plant, although I've never seen this referenced anywhere else. I do have a large patch of Salal, and, indeed, it was really decimated by weevils. She also said that if weevils are not listed on the container, they won't be killed by the product.
This is the first year that I think I am finally winning the battle against these evil weevils. You have to be very diligent if you have a bad infestation like mine was. Here's what I do:

As soon as the shrubs start leafing out in the late winter, I start watching for the first sign of chewing. I start going outside at night every few evenings and examining all the shrubs with a flashlight. I can do it really fast now as I can spot a weevil from across the yard! If I see chewed new leaves or an actual weevil, I spray that shrub. I focus mostly on the bottom part of the shrub and make sure I get the leaves and bark. I repeat this every 4 weeks until the summer, then slow down. This does not kill the grubs, but it kills the adults so they can't reproduce. Eventually, the grubs become adults and get killed, too. I keep a small hand sprayer filled with the nasty stuff and use it to spray part of a shrub here and there. I always spray at night when the bees are sleeping, and I keep the stuff off of the flowers. You have to examine every single plant in the garden because there is almost nothing that they won't eat. There are certain Rhodies and azaleas that are less tasty to them, but they still get on them. I've had huge numbers of them on my bergenia, hydrangeas, roses, and boxwoods. I have a doublefile viburnum that they almost defoliated before I saw them. They are a formidable foe, so be prepared!

Hum, very interesting about the salal.
I do have some and had noticed that the leaves were being notched too. Wonder if I should dig up the salal and just get rid of it then? I use it between the pathways for some color.
Geez, what they won't eat, huh?
So you use the spray formula, Pixy? I hate to spray things so that is why I have been using the granular.
Thanks for your information tho, Pixy.
Carol

I didn't get rid of my salal. I like it and it's a nice native plant. let me know if you have luck with the granular. I have dogs, so I shy away from stuff that stays on the ground, but I don't like the spray either.

I have cats so...............
I do try to scratch it in and I am hoping the smell turns the cats off from it. I do not like the smell so............
I like salal too. It sure is a native plant here in the NW but......... if it is a host plant...........

Well, I haven't seen that anywhere else and I haven't tried to reseearch it myself. These buggers are insistant, though! I just last night went out and looked around and a brand new garden that I just put in with brand new bergenia, had weevils!! They were on all of the little bergenia plants, the hostas, and the rose of sharon!!

Thank you for all the good feedback...have been out of town for awhile. I think the Systemic Insect Killer is what I'm going to go for, beginning next Spring when things leaf out, and following up every 3-4 weeks. A horticulturist friend with the Portland Parks and Rec. program also suggested Orthene as being perhaps the only really effective chemical tool against the evil weevil. I did put more beneficial nematodes into the soil, to attack larvae in the Spring, as well. On another subject, I have a yellow Four O'Clock in my back yard that is just magnificent this year! Huge, and covered with blossoms. The hummingbirds love it!