Weevil Pride

Milkweed Stem Weevil (Rhyssomatus lineaticollis)
Click for full size to see the eye.

The photo above was used by bugguide.net to illustrate the life cycle of the Milkweed stem weevil. Of all the people in all of North America photographing weevils, I guess I was the only one who got one feeding on the sap of milkweed. Of that, I am proud and honored. They never told me they used the photo, but that's fine; I am given attribution because they are professional. 

I have found other species of weevils. They are such weird little guys. I learned today, but should have known long ago, that weevils are beetles. They don't "look" like beetles to me: there is no shininess, no visible elytra. They look soft-bodied, not hard-bodied like most beetles. 

Strawberry Root Weevil (Sciaphilus asperatus)

Weevils are in the Family Curculionidae - Snout and Bark Beetles. "Weevil" is another name for snout beetles. At this time, 97,000 species of weevils are known. They have chewing mouthparts, which is why those of you who garden don't like them. 

Green Immigrant Leaf Weevil (Polydrusus formosus)
not native

Clay-coloured Weevil (Otiorhynchus singularis)

Rough Strawberry Root Weevil (Otiorhynchus rugosostriatus)

Brown Leaf Weevil (Phyllobius oblongus)

I'm always on the look out for more weevils. They are so small that it's hard to find them. Luckily, they usually move slowly and don't seem to like to fly (which is common with beetles). 

Nature Friday at
Adventures of the LLB Gang

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