European carpophagus weevil

Description

Curculio glandium is a species of European carpophagus weevil in the genus Curculio, the acorn and nut weevils. It eats by a rostrum, an elongated snout, that is used for piercing. Curculio glandium is a member of the genus Curculio, which comprises seed beetles. All members of Curculio have characteristically long rostrums and ovipositors, an adaptation that specifically developed by their reliance on seeds for food and reproduction. Male/Female differentiation can be determined using the rostrum as female's are longer. The larvae are short, and cylindrical in shape, and move by means of ridges on the underside of the body. Adults can reach a length of 4 to 8 mm. Curculio is a genus of weevils belonging the family Curculionidae and subfamily Curculioninae. Members of the genus are commonly referred to as acorn weevils or nut weevils as they infest the seeds of trees such as oaks and hickories. The adult female weevil bores a tiny hole in the immature nut to lay her eggs, which then hatch into legless grubs. In autumn, the grubs bore holes through the shells from the inside to emerge into the soil where they may live for a year or two before maturing into adults.