In terms of pests, weevils ( Curculionidae ) are one of the most feared that can be easily found in gardens and homes. One of the most common is wood weevils, which feed mainly on it.
If you want to get to know these little insects better in order to prevent their unwanted visit or fight their presence if you already suffer, continue reading this article about how to eliminate weevils from the house and plants.
How to eliminate weevils?
Weevils , also known as weevils or curculionids , are a whole family of coleoptera insects with more than 86,000 species.
They are from the family of beetles, and do not usually measure more than 5 mm in length in their adult state. They have a brown body and their diet is herbivorous, with which they devour plants and wood of all kinds depending on each specific species.
Although they do not attack the human being, they are materially harmful because of the speed at which they can feed on furniture wood and even structures, becoming dangerous in homes with enough wood, or houses made entirely of wood.
Other types, however, attack only different parts of the plants, but the threat range extends to a large part of the crops, which is a particularly serious problem for farmers.
Some of the species of weevils that there are:
- Rice weevil ( Sitophilus oryzae )
- Corn Weevil ( Sitophilus zeamais )
- Wheat weevil ( Sitophilus granarius )
How to eliminate weevils from plants?
If you find these insects somewhere in your home, the first thing you should do is remove them and thoroughly clean the entire area. If you were in an area with food or food that was not properly closed, you should get rid of them because they could have contaminated the food and be a source of infections and diseases.
Use insecticide in any area where you have seen them or where you think they may be, whether it is a specialized chemical insecticide or a homemade insecticide for weevils that you have made yourself, as we will show you later.
If you think you have located the food they come from, a very good solution is to freeze the food for at least four full days. In this way, both larvae and adult specimens will die from the cold, and you do not risk spreading them again from the garbage or in any other way.
On the other hand, if they are not inside the house but there are weevils on the plants in your garden, eliminating them can be a little more complicated. Weevils tend to feed during the night and hide during the day to avoid predators, so to find them you will have to use a flashlight during the night , when you can see them nibbling the edges of the leaves. If the larvae have not yet appeared, removing them by hand will be enough. If this is not the case, you will have to resort to insecticides.
So, to eliminate weevils from plants you can use two methods:
- Remove them by hand with tweezers or a similar tool: only recommended if larvae are not visible.
- Eliminate them with insecticide: apply them when the sun does not shine on the plants.
- se either a specific commercial or generic for pests or a home one.
How to make natural insecticide for weevils at home
There are several natural substances that you can use in your fight against the weevil so you do not have to resort to artificial chemicals.
Bay leaves and neem to eliminate weevils
Bay leaves and neem or neem are a natural substance of easy acquisition that serve to ward off this pest. Extract some fresh leaves to the plant or buy these fresh leaves, because dry and without wetting them they do not have the same effect, and place them in the spaces or plants where you have seen them. Keep in mind that you should replace the leaves when they have dried or you can no longer distinguish their smell easily.
Liquid laurel and neem insecticide for weevils
If the area to be covered is large, it will be better to prepare the insecticide with liquid base. To do this, follow these steps:
- Prepare 300 grams of fresh laurel or neem leaves, or 200 grams if they are dry, for every 10 liters of water you are going to contribute.
- Cut the leaves in half and pour them into a container with enough space.
- Boil a fifth of the water and add it to the container with the leaves.
- Cover it, and wait for it to cool, then add the remaining water, leaving it this time partially covered only in some dark and cool place.
- After about 48 hours, strain the mixture and store it refrigerated to preserve it longer. If you keep it in the refrigerator, it will last up to a month before spoiling.
To use it, you only have to spray it on your garden or affected areas, although dilute it in a part of water for each part of macerate of laurel or neem. Apply it every three days just before nightfall, until you make sure you have done away with the threat.