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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Snout and Bark Beetles (Curculionoidea) » Snout and Bark Beetles (Curculionidae) » Dryophthorinae » Rhynchophorini » Billbugs (Sphenophorus) » Sphenophorus venatus
Photo#167970
unusual weevil - Sphenophorus venatus
Copyright © 2007 Darcy Ashton

unusual weevil - Sphenophorus venatus
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, USA
August 2, 2007
Size: aprox. 3/8"
This weevil was unusual in that his head was tucked inside his thorax. I did not see a similar specimen in your photo file. He was found on a cement porch, no vegetation to help I.D. He also held the tips of his back legs up in an odd way. It was not terribly hot out, but near dusk.

Images of this individual: tag all
unusual weevil - Sphenophorus venatus weevil - Sphenophorus venatus
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Contributed by Darcy Ashton on 2 February, 2008 - 10:50am
Last updated 23 May, 2009 - 5:27pm

Sphenophorus venatus (Say)
Charles O'Brien det.
His comment: "a damaged individual, head inside prothorax, probably occurred in the pupal stage or while adult was still teneral. They are tough to kill. In earlier studies they were found to survive passage through the digestive tract of toads and lizards to crawl out of the dung and go on their way"

Moved from Billbugs.
… v belov, 23 May, 2009 - 5:27pm login or register to post comments

Maybe a sick one?
looks like a typical Sphenophorus, otherwise.
… Boris Büche, 3 February, 2008 - 10:07am login or register to post comments

 
weevil
He was very active, not sure he was sick. I've posted another shot at a different angle.
… Darcy Ashton, 3 February, 2008 - 10:32am login or register to post comments

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