Knowledgebase

White Pine weevil control #813384

Asked October 06, 2022, 11:16 AM EDT

I have white pine weevil on my seedling and transplant white pine. Last week I had an arborist come to the site to review this and Swiss Needlecast. From what I have been able to gather, there are both mechanical and chemical treatments for these pests. Mechanical seems to be basically selective pruning at proper time. Chemical treatment is soil drench and/or foliar treatment. I want to avoid chemical treatment and timing for mechanical may be difficult. My strategy is to keep the adults from going up to the stem in the Spring. One possible solution would be to wrap fly paper around the trunk. Since the adults can fly, this may not be fully effective. The other option would be to place a 2-3’ diameter piece of landscape cloth around the stem to prevent adults from getting up into the tree. What are your thoughts on this options? Regards, Tom

Oceana County Michigan

Expert Response

Unfortunately, white pine weevils will fly to the leader.  I think exclusion will be difficult to achieve.  Pruning or chemical control are your most reliable options.  How tall are these trees?  If you can easily reach the top, a single, well-timed spray (or even application with a paint brush) to the leader down to the first whorl is likely to provide control.  You don't need a soil drench or to spray the whole tree.  Just apply product to the leader and the section of trunk just below the leader.  You do need to use the appropriate, registered product at the correct rate and properly timed, but white pine weevil is not difficult to control on smaller trees.

For more information: Control of white pine weevil.

Thank you for contacting Ask Extension! Replied October 06, 2022, 9:14 PM EDT
Hello Brent. Thank you for your prompt reply. I appreciate it.
   I read through the MSU link and a few other articles on White Pine weevil control. As you stated, application of one of the pyrethroids seems to be the preferred method of control. I was going to do a soil drench this Fall but was concerned about the effects on the soil biome (what little there is in that soil), but after reading about pyrethroids, I will apply one of those in the Spring. There are three available; bifenthrin, permethrin and cyfluthrin. Do you have a preference for one over the others? Possibly rotating on a yearly basis? I like your suggestion as to using a paint brush for application and will probably do that.
Thanks again, Tom DeBates

Sent from my iPad

On Oct 6, 2022, at 20:14, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:


The Question Asker Replied October 07, 2022, 10:30 AM EDT

I have not heard of white pine weevil resistance to those products, and any of them should be effective.  It never hurts to rotate, but that is more of an issue for growers who apply the product frequently, and there really is no reason for you to store multiple products that will be infrequently used. Apply the product between 25 and 65 growing degree days (GDD) (base 50 F), which is probably around mid-April for you. To get the best control, follow up with a second application 2 weeks later. 

Current GDD can be found on Enviroweather.  Select Weather > Maps: Growing Degree-Days (50). Then change the default settings on the right to "Cumulative GDD (50F) With Values. Locate the closest station (dot) to you on the map, and zoom in to see the current GDD value.

Thank you for contacting Ask Extension! Replied October 07, 2022, 11:39 AM EDT
Thank you again Brian.
  I am feeling confident in my treatment options.
Regards, Tom 

Sent from my iPad

On Oct 7, 2022, at 10:39, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:


The Question Asker Replied October 07, 2022, 2:59 PM EDT

Glad to hear it!  Let us know if you have more questions.

Thank you for contacting Ask Extension! Replied October 07, 2022, 3:14 PM EDT

Loading ...