University of Alberta Museums Search

Eggs are about .25 mm long, are milky white immediately after oviposition, and eventually turn pale brown (Cooley 1904). The young larvae are microscopic and resemble the large whitish larvae having a yellowish head (Cooley 1904). The soft and delicate pupae are between 5 and 7 mm long, are almost pure white, and reveal distinct adult parts with separate wing sacs along their backs that eventually fuse (Cooley 1904). Immediately after emerging from the pupa, the adult appears light brown, and eventually turns brownish black (Cooley 1904). Adults are 5 to 7 mm long, have elbowed antennae slightly widened at the tip, have fused elytra and cannot fly (Cooley 1904). The apex of their tibia is rounded, their femora are toothed with the first femora having 2 small teeth at the base, and their rostrum is short and stout (Warner and Negley 1976). When adults are disturbed, they pull in their legs and remain immobile (Cooley 1904).

Development is dependent on diet and temperatures (Umble and Fisher 2000). The weevils are parthenogenetic and there are no males in North America (Warner and Negley 1976). They crawl into the soil scattering their unfertilized eggs among plant roots between spring and late summer (Cooley 1904, Umble and Fisher 2000). After approximately 20 days, their eggs hatch, and the larvae begin feeding on plant roots (Cooley 1904). The larvae find themselves comfortable spots in the soil where they shed their skin and pupate (Cooley 1904). Dispersal of the flightless weevils is dependent on the distances they walk and often on shipments of horticultural products (Entomol. Soc. of Wash. 1999). They inhabit greenhouses, nurseries, vineyards, and other agricultural crops (Entomol. Soc. of Wash. 1999).

This species is polyphagous, larvae feed on plant roots, and adults feed nocturnally on the foliage, buds and young shoots of a wider range of host plants (Warner and Negley 1976). North American host plants include borage, carrot, strawberry, hops, juniper, alfalfa, mint, bean, spruce, pine, peach, rhododendron, rose, raspberry, yew, arborvitae, red clover, hemlock, blueberry and grape (Warner and Negley 1976).

This species is widespread across Canada and occurs in all provinces (Warner and Negley 1976). It inhabits all of the United States with the exceptions of Georgia, Alabama, Arizona, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee (Warner and Negley 1976).