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Amaryllis/Hippeastrum

Grubby bulb killer

12 years ago

We've heard a lot about viruses recently, but this rather larger bug has had a savage effect on some of my valued varieties and completely wiped out some of them. I found in early spring that some of the bulbs had almost disappeared, and when I turned out the pots found these larvae (this collection is from around 20 pots). I sent the picture to the Dept of Agriculture and they said they were the grubs of the chafer beetle, which live in the soil for up to 3 years and feed on roots. Once the roots had been devoured, they seem to be joined by small cockroaches that finished off the job. In one pot, the bulb had completely disappeared.

{{gwi:401523}}

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Comments (4)

dondeldux z6b South Shore Massachusetts
12 years ago
Wow! Looks like you've got a rather tasty meal there for some birds and in some countries...people!!
That's pretty horrific and I'll bet they're all squirming round!! Time for some systemic insecticide.. but by the looks of those even that might not work..we all have our problems don't we..
I hope you didn't loose too many of your precious crosses,and you have my sincere condolences..very similar to my Narcissis Bulb Fly larvae..only they don't eat the roots or the entire bulb, just the heart so occasionaly you can get some offsets to grow from the remainder of the basal plate..sometimes..

So sorry,

Donna
joshy46013
12 years ago
YUCK!!!!!
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johnsonm08
12 years ago
Maybe a little garlic and butter stir fry?
hippiezep
Original Author
12 years ago
Hmm, I haven't dared to try eating them yet, although I did once eat sago grubs in Papua New Guinea. Instead I have put them to work in a tub of dry acacia leaves, which they eventually turn into a nice compost.

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