Other Common Names
The word 'curculio' is used in common names of a number of weevils belonging to other taxa, sometimes other families
Numbers
~30 spp. in our area, >350 total
(1)(2) [
C. rubidus recently found in MI
(3)]
Identification
Long slender beak; body robust. In some species, female snout may be longer than the body (never in males).
Key to our species in Gibson (1969)
(4)
Newer key for species east of the Mississippi River in
(5)
The female's snout is longer than the males, often longer than her body.
(6)Range
widely dist., except n. Rockies (BG data)
Food
Associated with various Fagaceae, Juglandaceae, and Betulaceae
(1)Life Cycle
Female uses her long snout for boring into nuts/acorns, and deposits eggs there. Larvae feed inside the acorn/nut and emerge to pupate in the soil.
Adults usually appear 2-3 weeks before acorns and nuts begin to ripen
(7)
The female drills a hole through the nut's shell and excavates one or more chambers near the inner surface, then deposits one egg per chamber. The larvae feed on the nut meat then cut exit holes before entering the soil. They burrow down 1/2 inch to 1 foot where they form cells for pupation.
(7)
Depending on the species, they could be in diapause in the pupa stage for 1-2 years.
(7)
