Bionema launches WeevilIntercept™ for adult vine weevil control: Bionema Group, a UK-based biological crop protection company, has announced the launch of WeevilIntercept™, a ready-to-use biological solution designed to control adult black vine weevils (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) in ornamental horticulture, nurseries, and retail plant production systems.
Vine weevil is one of the most economically damaging pests in UK horticulture, with total plant losses estimated at approximately £40 million annually across nurseries, garden centres, and retail supply chains. While adult vine weevils cause visible cosmetic damage to foliage, the most severe economic losses are caused by larvae, which hatch from eggs laid by adults and feed on plant roots, often leading to sudden plant collapse and death.
Bionema launches WeevilIntercept™ for adult vine weevil control
For professional growers and retailers, tolerance is effectively zero. The presence of even a single larva or adult vine weevil can result in crop rejection, lost sales, and reputational damage, particularly at the point of sale.
WeevilIntercept™ is designed to break this cycle by targeting adult vine weevils before they lay eggs, helping reduce subsequent larval pressure and protect plant quality. The product exploits the natural daytime hiding behaviour of adult weevils and contains encapsulated entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema carpocapsae) housed within a moisture-stable wooden shelter. When adult weevils enter the trap, the nematodes infect and kill the pest through a wholly biological process, leaving no chemical residues.
“Adult vine weevils may cause cosmetic damage, but they are the source of the larvae responsible for the most serious plant losses,” said Dr Minshad Ansari, CEO and Founder of Bionema Group. “WeevilIntercept™ provides growers and retailers with a practical biological tool to intercept adults early, complement existing larval control programmes, and strengthen integrated pest management strategies.”
Each WeevilIntercept™ unit provides approximately 10 square metres of coverage and remains active for up to 8-10 weeks when kept moist. The product is intended for use by professional growers, nurseries, landscapers, garden centres, and home gardeners managing vine weevil pressure during the active adult period from spring through mid-summer.
Free from microplastics and synthetic pesticides, WeevilIntercept™ supports Bionema’s wider mission to reduce reliance on conventional chemical inputs while maintaining reliable, practical pest control performance.
WeevilIntercept™ will be available for the 2026 vine weevil season, with an initial focus on the UK horticultural and retail markets. Growers and retailers interested in evaluation or supply for the 2026 season are invited to contact Bionema Group directly.
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