''Curculio glandium'' is a species of carpophagus weevil, known as the acorn weevil. It is native to eastern North America. It eats by a rostrum, an elongated snout, that is used for piercing. Male/Female differentiation can be determined using the rostrum as female's are longer. The larvae are short, and cylindrical in shape, and move by means of ridges on the underside of the body. Adults can reach a length of 4 to 8 mm.
Similar species: Beetles
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“A big nose never spoiled a handsome face.” – French Proverb.
This adorable beetle is an Acorn Weevil (Curculio glandium). It kind of resembles a beetle version of Pinocchio, or perhaps a Muppet, such as Gonzo. Either way, it is certainly funny-looking, yet handsome! Acorn Weevils have a long, distinctive snout, or “rostrum” with mouthparts at the end. Females drill holes into acorns, eat some of the yummy nut, lay eggs in the hole, and then plug the hole with her own poop until the acorn can self-heal the wound. When the larva hatches, it will snack on the inside of the nut until the acorn falls off the tree. At this point, the larva chews a tiny escape hole through the acorn. The hole is so small that the larva struggles to squirm and wiggle its plump little body through the opening. Once free, it buries itself in the soil, pupates, and waits to metamorphize into an adult weevil. And thus, the cycle begins again. {Spotted in Germany by JungleDragon user, Lars Korb} #JungleDragon
Posted 6 years ago
Mouths are up for discussion today! Click the photos to learn why these creatures have magnificent mouths! #JungleDragon
Acorn Weevils (Curculio glandium) have fantastic mouthparts! They have a long, distinctive snout, or “rostrum”, with mouthparts at the end. Females use these fancy mouthparts to drill holes into acorns and eat the yummy nut. Afterwards, she lays eggs in the hole and then plugs the hole with her own poop. The question is: how does the rostrum drill a perfect hole into a VERY hard acorn?? Weevil rostrums are extremely strong, but are also flexible. They are composed of alternating layers of hard and soft material that are arranged in a helix (like DNA) and are perfect for drilling through acorns. {Spotted in Germany by Lars Korb} #Weevil #AcornWeevil #Curculioglandium
https://www.facebook.com/jungledragonwildlife Posted 4 years ago