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The Strawberry Rhynchites - which also attacks
raspberries - and to a lesser degree - blackberries, is a weevil. The
adults of which feed on the folded leaves of the strawberry plant in
early Spring. The female wanders off to the
flowers where she firstly lays her eggs, then rather craftily punctures
the flower stem just below the bud, ensuring that it withers and dies.
It is a serious pest of strawberry crops in UK, and
can often be mistaken for blossom weevil. The Strawberry Rhynchites
beetle is metallic green whereas the
blossom weevil is dull
grey/black.
The adult beetles of the Rhynchites emerges from the
soil after oer-wintering, and feeds on the young foliage of the
strawberry plant. |
