June 17, 2025, 4:11 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Withered flower buds and bent stems often cause concern in strawberry beds. What many initially assume to be weather damage is often the work of an inconspicuous beetle: the strawberry blossom weevil. This small snout beetle appears in the spring and can lead to yield losses, especially in young plantations.
The strawberry blossom weevil (Anthonomus rubi) is one of the most significant pests in strawberry cultivation. These insects lay their eggs in flower buds and then sever the flower stem. The result: The bud dries up and falls to the ground. According to the Plant Protection Service of Hesse, raspberries, blackberries, and other rose plants are also affected.
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What the Strawberry Blossom Weevil Looks Like
The strawberry blossom weevil is a three to four millimeter long, black-gray to dark brown snout beetle. Its red-brown antennae are notably attached to its long snout. The larvae are yellowish-white, legless, and have a brown head. The beetle overwinters in the mulch or humus layer and becomes active in spring–depending on the source, at temperatures between ten and 18 degrees Celsius.
The females bore holes into closed flower buds, lay an egg, and then sever the bud stem, writes the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES). The bud bends, dries up, and falls to the ground. A single female can damage up to 100 buds. After hatching, the larvae feed on the inner flower organs for about 20 days. They then pupate in the bud. The adult beetles appear from June, feed briefly on the plants, and then retreat to the ground litter for overwintering. Only one generation is produced per year.
Control and Prevention of the Beetle
In commercial cultivation, targeted treatment with approved pesticides is recommended when the damage threshold is reached–about one beetle per 100 square meters or the first appearance of bent stems. In home gardens, it is usually sufficient to collect and destroy affected buds early.
Other preventive measures include removing the mulch layer after harvest and cutting back leaves and runners to deprive the beetle of food and overwintering sites. Chemical control is not permitted in home gardens, as no insecticides are approved for strawberries.
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Distribution and Host Plants
The strawberry blossom weevil is found in Europe, North Africa, and Asia and affects not only strawberries but also raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, roses, and other herbaceous plants such as cinquefoil, lady’s mantle, or avens. The beetles often appear in clusters but are capable of flight and can move from neighboring vegetation to cultivated areas.