Red One! - Merhynchites bicolor

Moved

Moved from Merhynchites.

… John R. Maxwell, 29 October, 2008 - 10:28am

Moved

Moved from Rose Curculio.

… Boris Büche, 29 March, 2007 - 9:50am

Moved

Moved from Leaf Rolling Weevils.

… Boris Büche, 29 March, 2007 - 9:49am

Weevil, probably Rhynchites (Merhynchites) bicolor

I might have gotten lucky on this one. Looking throuh the large number of links on the Insects of Cedar Creek page on weevils, (Coleoptera:Curculionidae, the largest family of insects, I think), I came across a good match on the second link! Warning: I haven't investigated all of the links on that page, and there are one gazillion species of weevils, tub this does look "right close", as we often say here in the South.
Rhynchites bicolor--they say it is found on native Roses. I'll have to look for it now on our native roses here in NC. Gotta love those folks at Insects of Cedar Creek--they have done a real good job in documenting insects one is likely to encounter.
Oklahoma Wild Things calls this the "Rose Weevil", as does E-Nature.com.

I see one reference putting this genus in Family Attelabidae: Shining weevils. Nearctica.com lists it there as well, and appears to have it as listed as Merhynchites bicolor. This Univ. of Minnesota Extension Service document on rose pests lists it that way, and has a photo--looks like the same critter. Common name given as "Rose Curculio". Seems like a widespread and common species, so I'm going to say this is a "probable".

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina

… Cotinis, 3 July, 2004 - 9:50pm

yes, Merhynchites bicolor

… v belov, 10 October, 2008 - 10:25pm

Reminds me of...

...a little leaf rolling weevil I found locally, Homoeolabus analis. There's an image here, from someone who researches them. I think Patrick's find looks closer though.

… Troy Bartlett, 3 July, 2004 - 10:11pm

Merhynchites/Rhynchites bicolor

I think Patrick's suggestion fits quite well. It looks to me that the antennae are not elbowed, which would indicate it isn't a Curculionidae in the narrow sense. That would help narrow the possible species down from a couple thousand. It appears that the differences between the two suggestions include the longer snout and extension of the red colouring onto the head in M. bicolor.

Cedar Creek lists M. bicolor under Rynchitinae, and Borror, Triplehorn and Johnson (p. 462, (1)) list this species under Rynchitidae. It looks like this family has been lumped with the Attelabidae - leading to the treatment in Nomina Nearctica etc. Does anyone know which genus name is current for this species?

… Joel Kits, 24 January, 2005 - 10:20pm