Pachylobius picivorus

University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum Read more about this collection »

Common NamePitch-eating Weevil SeasonalityTwo peaks, March-May and July-November. Second peak spring and summer populations (Franklin & Taylor, 1970). IdentificationLarge (7.9-11.1mm) dark brown or black weevils with patches of short setae on elytra (Dixon & Foltz, 1990; Nord et. al, 1984). Weevils can be sexed by presence (male) or absence (female) of indentation on the 1st visible abdominal sternite (Franklin & Taylor, 1970).

Scientific Name Pachylobius picivorus Common Name Pitch-eating Weevil Habitat Pine forests and plantations, particularly on shortleaf pine. (Franklin & Taylor, 1970). Seasonality Two peaks, March-May and July-November. Second peak spring and summer populations (Franklin & Taylor, 1970). Identification

Large (7.9-11.1mm) dark brown or black weevils with patches of short setae on elytra (Dixon & Foltz, 1990; Nord et. al, 1984). Weevils can be sexed by presence (male) or absence (female) of indentation on the 1st visible…

Life History

Approximately 0.7 eggs/day/female are laid on or near hosts. The larvae burrow into the root collar of the host pine and begin to feed on the phloem. Larval development lasts between 93 and 130 days and is temperature dependent, with late-born larvae having longer development times than spring-born larvae. Pupation lasts at least 16 days, and 3 days of sclerotizing occurs before emergence of the adults. Adults mate soon after emergence, with oviposition occurring within two weeks provided adequate (minimum around 15°C) temperature. Sex ratios are skewed towards females in spring, and even between sexes by the summer. Adults may overwinter, and can be found active from 1.1°C to 37.7°C. (Franklin & Taylor, 1970).

Conservation Pest of pine plantations. More common along gulf coast than the rest of range. (Nord, et al., 1984). Diet Info Feed on pine species (including shortleaf, loblolly and slash pines). Larvae eat the root collar, adults eat twigs and can cause significant economic damage (including death of trees) as a result. (Franklin & Taylor, 1970). Range Eastern United States and Eastern Canada – Ontario and Labrador (O’Brien & Wibmer, 1982). More common in Southern US along the gulf coast than the rest of its range. (Nord, et al., 1984). Notes Commonly co-occurs with Hylobius pales (Franklin & Taylor, 1970; Nord, et al., 1984).

Page Citation

"Species Details - Pachylobius picivorus, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/2-39495. Accessed 04 Jan. 2025.

Publications

Author Dixon, N. W., Foltz, J. L.

Title Pine reproduction weevils, Hylobius pales (Herbst) & Pachylobius picivorus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Publication Date 1990

Author Nord, J. C., Ragenovich, I., Doggett, C. A.

Title Pales Weevil.

Publication Date 1984

Author O’Brien, C. W. and G. J. Wibmer

Title Annotated checklist of the weevils (Curculionidae sensu lato) of North America, Central America, and the West Indies (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea).

Publication Date 1982

Author Franklin, R. T., Taylor, J. W. Jr.

Title Biology of Pachylobius picivorus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the Georgia Piedmont.

Publication Date 1970

19 results plotted on map in 9 markers.
Note: Only records with latitude and longitude coordinates are plotted on map.

UASM354101 - Pachylobius picivorus