Silviculture / Management No. 15 © COFORD 2008 The large pine weevil is the most Controlling the large pine weevil, serious pest of conifer reforestation in Ireland. Hylobius abietis , using natural enemies The adult weevil causes damage by feeding on the bark of young Aoife Dillon 1 and Christine Griffin 2 transplants. With up to 100,000 adult weevils emerging per hectare on recently felled conifer sites, it is not The large pine weevil, Hylobius abietis (Figure 1) is the most important pest of uncommon for 100% of young replanted conifer sites in Ireland. This beetle has been recognised as a pest in plants to be killed. Europe since the nineteenth century, but reports of damage were relatively rare in Pine weevils are susceptible to Ireland and Britain until the start of the twentieth century. Adult weevils are attack from a number of natural brown, with yellow patches on their body, and are approximately 1.5 cm in enemies such as fungi, parasites length. and predators. Of these, insect killing nematodes (microscopic worms) are the most promising biological control agent: capable of reducing weevil populations by up to 70%. The practicalities of using nematodes, their environmental safety and their potential for use as part of an integrated pest management strategy are discussed. COFORD Arena House, Arena Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18, Ireland Telephone: +353 1 2130725 Email:
[email protected] http://www.coford.ie Figure 1: An adult large pine weevil, Hylobius abietis. 1 Behavioural Ecology and Biocontrol Laboratory, Biology Department, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, Co Kildare. Email:
[email protected] 2 Behavioural Ecology and Biocontrol Laboratory, Biology Department, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, Co Kildare.