Exapion fuscirostre

A small weevil (2.4-3mm) that develops in the seed pods of Broom
Same animal here:

comments (10)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Incredible capture at this tiny size! Posted 7 years ago
1. Pudding4brains
  
  Lion
  
  Thanks Ferdy, quite happy with this one myself :o)
  One of very few "usable" shots in a loooong series *rolleyes* Generally I just keep on zooming in too much - against better judgement - and kicking myself for lack of DOF when I look at the pictures on the big screen ... pffffff Posted 7 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    I have the zooming disease too :)
    How much cropping space do you have in your system if you'd take a small step back and then crop back in, whilst keeping acceptable detail? Posted 7 years ago
  2. 1. Pudding4brains
      
      Lion
      
      At this size critter the "loose detail in lacking DOF" limit will just about allow me to still crop to a full hd resolution with not too much empty space around it, but it's on the edge and I need to get the focus point exactly in the centre of the depth. The cameras I use only have 8Mpx @ 4:3 ratio (=3264x2448), so this is pretty much just cropped from that without a resize. Posted 7 years ago
    2. 1. Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        I have so much respect for what you're able to squeeze out of your gear! Posted 7 years ago
      2. Pudding4brains
        
        Lion
        
        Thanks Ferdy - to me it is part of the fun to get fair results with sub par equipment :o) Posted 7 years ago
        
        Ferdy Christant
        
        Lion
        
        You're a master of it, living evidence that macro photography can be quite accessible. The other lesson I see is to put the subject first, then the photography, not the other way around. Posted 7 years ago
        
        Pudding4brains
        
        Lion
        
        You make me blush Ferdy ;o) (thanks) Posted 7 years ago

morpheme

Lion

oooo - we could possibly use those here... non-native scotch broom likes to take over scarce native prairie habitat... Right now the people who maintain wildlife preserves usually use fire, herbicide and manual removal. Posted 7 years ago
1. Pudding4brains
  
  Lion
  
  Howdy, there are also one or two species of "bean weevil"(?) - "Bruchidae" - now actually placed in the Chrysomelidae that much out the seeds in the pods. If memory serves at least some of these have been considered for introduction to the Americas to fight the Broom ?!?
  
  PS Yes, both the weevil and the bruchid
  https://pubs.wsu.edu/ItemDetail.aspx?ProductID=15851&SeriesCode=&CategoryID=146
  https://www.nwcb.wa.gov/images/weeds/Scotch-Broom-Control_King.pdf Posted 7 years ago, modified 7 years ago

The Scotch broom seed weevil

''Exapion fuscirostre'' is a species of straight-snouted weevil known by the general common name Scotch broom seed weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed known as Scotch broom .

The adult weevil is dark gray with a dark band across its elytra and is a laterally compressed shape with a long snout and light brown legs. It is 2–3 millimetres long. The adult feeds on new growth at the tips of stems, but the larva does much more damage to the plant... more

Info 4 0

Similar species: Beetles

Species identified by Pudding4brains