WeevilWatch: Smart Pest Monitoring in Ornamental Crops

Abstract

Vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) continues to be one of the most damaging pests across UK ornamental nurseries, both as the larva and adult. The problem is widespread, and even a 1% drop in saleable plants costs the industry over £20 million annually. For the nurseries involved in the project, producing container-grown hardy nursery stock and herbaceous species, vine weevil damage and crop rejections can represent losses of up to 3-5% in affected crops, which directly impacts nursery profitability. One of the challenges is that vine weevil is incredibly difficult to detect early. Adults feed at night and hide during the day while larvae remain hidden in the growing media where they cause damage to root systems. By the time they are spotted through visual inspections, significant damage has often already occurred. Another challenge is the wide range of plant species which are susceptible to attack, there are over 70 listed in HDC Factsheet 24/16 Vine weevil control in hardy nursery stock. Current monitoring relies on labour intensive weekly inspections that still miss early infestations. With the sector moving away from broad-spectrum insecticides and toward biological controls, early detection has become even more critical -- entomopathogenic nematode applications need precise timing to be effective. Harper Adams University have developed a smart monitoring device specifically for vine weevil. The device uses a camera and artificial intelligence to automatically identify and report vine weevil presence. The project aims to test whether this tool can give earlier, more reliable pest detection than current visual monitoring, ultimately allowing the application of biological controls at the right time and reduce crop losses.

Description

The nine-month project will deploy 30 monitoring devices across two commercial nurseries. The devices will be tested in real production conditions across different crop blocks to address the following practical questions:

1. Does the device detect adult weevil activity earlier than visual inspection?
2. Does adding Andermatt UK's pheromone lure improve detection?
3. How many units are needed per crop area to make it cost-effective?

The project team brings together two leading hardy nursery stock producers, crop protection specialists Andermatt UK, technical expertise from Harper
Adams University, and the wider industry connection through the Horticultural Trades Association. This means results will reach the ornamental sector quickly through established grower networks. If successful, the plan is to seek a route to market for the device via Andermatt UK, complementing their market offer of the pheromone lure.