When the Damage Is Visible, It May Already Be Too Late.

Recently, I visited a strawberry grower in Sweden and saw serious damage caused by vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus.

The adult beetles were visible, but they were not the biggest problem. The real damage had already happened underground, where the larvae had attacked the roots and crowns. By the time the plants started collapsing, a large part of the grower’s investment was already lost.

The honest part is that I did not know enough about this specific problem when I saw it. The grower had limited practical treatment options left, and I realized that I also needed to learn more before pretending to have the right answer.

That is why I am sharing this case openly.

We would really appreciate hearing from growers, advisors or researchers with practical experience in vine weevil control in strawberries, especially around preventive measures, early detection, biological control, timing of treatment, and what can still be done when larvae are already damaging the roots and crowns.

This case reminded me of something important: many crop problems do not start when symptoms become visible. Powdery mildew, Botrytis, thrips, whiteflies, root diseases and underground pests are often built quietly for days or weeks before the crop clearly shows damage.

The visible symptoms are often not the beginning.

It is the moment we realize we are already late.

That is why crop protection should not start with the question: “What product should I spray?” The better question is: “What is creating the pressure, and how early can we detect it?”

UV-C can be very relevant for exposed foliar pathogens such as powdery mildew and Botrytis. But it will not solve underground larvae, root diseases or viruses. Biological control, hygiene, scouting, substrate management, climate control and conventional chemistry all have their place, but only when used at the right moment.

Nobody in crop protection knows everything. The best solutions usually come when growers, advisors, researchers and technology partners exchange honest field experience.

At Croptiq, this is what we want to build: practical crop protection intelligence based on real observations, realistic solutions and open knowledge sharing.

Because protecting yield starts long before the crop looks damaged.