Viewing post #1821641 by Horntoad

DraDiana said:Jay,
I was wondering if the weevils were laying their eggs before the flowers even bloom. Your method would also prevent the Japanese beetle and caterpillar damage to blooms that I have experienced. I refuse to spray, so that sounds like the solution for me!

The beetle that's eating the seed is Althaeus hibisci. The adults feed on the pollen and lay their eggs on the green ovary after the flower opens and the larvae burrow into it and the seeds. I put the bags over the buds before the bloom starts to extend out of the calyx just to be sure. So far I have not lost any seeds with this method.