Weevils - Curculionidae

Weevils are a very large group of beetles in several families, the major one being Curculionidae. Many weevils are pests of crops, either in the field or in storage. They have a distinctive appearance, with a long 'beak' called a rostrum and antennae with a right angle bend that come off the rostrum. Many have a pattern or covering of scales and many are flightless.

Alfalfa Weevil Hypera postica:
This species is believed to have come from Asia originally and is now very widespread around the world. The larvae eat Lucerne Medicago sativa ssp sativa (Fabaceae) and are green with a white stripe down the middle of their back and two finer pale stripes down the sides. The adult beetles are small and brown with a dark stripe down their back. The photo below (ID suggested by Bébert on le Monde des Insectes forum) is of a larva in May, on Common Vetch Vicia sativa (Fabaceae), in the carpark of the Maison de la Nature on la Réserve naturelle de la Chérine in the Brenne.
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Nut Weevil Curculio nucum:
See our blog post on Days on the Claise.

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