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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Curculionoidea » Snout and Bark Beetles (Curculionidae) » Lixinae » Rhinocyllini » Rhinocyllus » Thistle Head Weevil (Rhinocyllus conicus)

Species Rhinocyllus conicus - Thistle Head Weevil

Classification · Explanation of Names · Size · Range · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Curculionidae, dorsal - Rhinocyllus conicus

Rhinocyllus conicus? - Rhinocyllus conicus

Rhinocyllus conicus (Frölich) - Rhinocyllus conicus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga

No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)

Superfamily Curculionoidea

Family Curculionidae (Snout and Bark Beetles)

Subfamily Lixinae

Tribe Rhinocyllini

Genus Rhinocyllus

Species conicus (Thistle Head Weevil)

Explanation of Names

Rhinocyllus conicus (Frölich 1792)

Size

4-6.5 mm(1)

Range

native to w. Palaearctic (Mediterranean basin to c. Europe & Turkmenistan), introduced in NA for weed control, now widespread, except se US(2)

Food

on thistles (Carduus, Cirsium spp.)(2); released in NA to combat the noxious musk thistle (Carduus nutans)

Life Cycle

Univoltine; overwinters as adult. Female lays 100-200 eggs. Larva develops in flower heads; images of various stages

Remarks

Controversial biocontrol agent used against noxious thistles in the genera Carduus, Cirsium, Onopordum, and Silybum. First introduced to the US in 1969 and now widely established, the weevil was found to be very effective in reducing the spread of invasive thistles, but also prone to attack native Cirsium spp. No longer recommended; releases prohibited in many areas.(3)

Print References

Louda S.M., Kendall D., Connor J., Simberloff D. (1997) Ecological effects of an insect introduced for the biological control of weeds. Science 277: 1088-1090.

Rose K.E., Louda S.M., Rees M. (2005) Demographic and evolutionary impacts of native and invasive insect herbivores: a case study with Platte thistle, Cirsium canescens. Ecology 86: 453-465.

Internet References

Fact sheet (Kok YYYY)(3) [use with caution]

Works Cited

1.	Benisch C. (2007-) kerbtier.de – Beetle fauna of Germany

2.	Coleoptera Poloniae

3.	Biological control: A guide to natural enemies in North America

Contributed by Phillip Harpootlian on 14 January, 2007 - 12:27am
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Lynette Elliott, Mike Quinn, Boris Bueche, v belov
Last updated 7 January, 2019 - 4:06pm

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