Share this Story : Vancouver Sun Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

The Bookless Club: Any gardening triumphs or tips to share?

Where bad bugs are concerned, I take the gentlest route: insecticidal soaps, vinegar sprays, and the like. The weevils, however, have simply chuckled.

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.

Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.

Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.

Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.

Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.

Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.

Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.

Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.

Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.

Enjoy additional articles per month.

Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments

Enjoy additional articles per month

Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

I got ‘em. Never had ‘em before, but they’re here now. An’ it’s bad.

The reason I’m writing this, like I’m a Depression era cotton farmer, is that all I know about weevils I learned from the old Sally Field movie, Places In The Heart. The story is about the many challenges of cotton-crop farming, with the boll weevil being chief amongst them. It’s thought that this particular weevil, which devastated all of the U.S.’s cotton growing regions in the 1920s, migrated from Mexico in the 19th century. The boll weevil punctures the cotton seed pods — the boll — laying eggs in them, which destroys the emerging crop. Economic impact was massive. By 1978, this scourge was largely eradicated throughout U.S. cotton growing regions following a successful pest management program. Field won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in the film. If you can still find it online, it’s worth watching.

But back to my weevils.

There was an error, please provide a valid email address.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.

For quite a while now, I’ve been waging an escalating war on these invasive pests. I first noticed I had a problem when........

© Vancouver Sun