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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Curculionoidea » Snout and Bark Beetles (Curculionidae) » Molytinae » Rhyssomatus » Milkweed Stem Weevil (Rhyssomatus lineaticollis)
Photo#103847
Rhyssomatus lineaticollis
Copyright © 2007 Claude Pilon

Rhyssomatus lineaticollis
Montréal, Quebec, Canada
July 29, 2006
Drinking milkweed sap.
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Contributed by Claude Pilon on 17 April, 2007 - 10:01pm
Last updated 23 May, 2017 - 1:42pm

That would be something!
Actually, the weevil is probably trying to drain part of the leaf of the latex, as most milkweed-feeding insects seem to do. They bite the midrib, or score several veins, allowing the toxin to bleed out of the foliage beyond the cut.
… Eric R. Eaton, 18 April, 2007 - 2:02pm login or register to post comments

 
I should have mentioned
that I was just joking about the "drinking" thing (so I guess I'm terrible wih jokes...) Eric's right about the draining behavior - it really does work well to keep the milkweed-feeding insects on their feet! Also explains why one sometimes sees milkweed leafs with bleeding midribs.
… Stephen Luk, 18 April, 2007 - 11:00pm login or register to post comments

 
So it doesn’t drink!
Even more intriguing.
Thanks Eric.
… Claude Pilon, 18 April, 2007 - 9:17pm login or register to post comments

Mmmm ... scrumptious cocktail...
Great capture of behavior ... good job!
… Stephen Luk, 17 April, 2007 - 11:01pm login or register to post comments

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