Curculio villosus boring into an oak apple

Curculio villosus boring into a gall ("oak apple") on Oak caused by the gall wasp Biorhiza pallida, to later insert an egg into the gall.
This is an example of "secondary" usage of the gall body, by another organism than the one causing the gall in the first place.

comments (5)

Christine Young

Lion

So neat! Posted 6 years ago
1. Pudding4brains
  
  Lion
  
  Yes, I shot this image in 2007, very much at the beginning of my entomology hobby and at the time I had no idea yet about the relationship between the weevil and the gall (found that out after photo-IDing it). Lucky shot hence, but a very nice mini documentary :o) Posted 6 years ago, modified 6 years ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    So cool that you were able to go back to it after so many years with more knowledge on the relationship! Posted 6 years ago
  2. 1. Pudding4brains
      
      Lion
      
      Still learning every day (luckily) :o) Posted 6 years ago
    2. 1. Christine Young
        
        Lion
        
        Yessss! Posted 6 years ago

The Curculio villosus

Curculio villosus Fabricius, 1781 is a small weevil closely related to the more well known Acorn weevil (Curculio glandium) and Nut weevil (Curculio nucum) but bores its eggs not into the fruit body of the tree, but in gals on oak caused by the sexual generation of the gal wasp Biorhiza pallida. The larva of the wasp usually perishes because of food competition.

Info 1 0

Similar species: Beetles

Species identified by Pudding4brains