Tropicalia wild file: Bluegreen or citrus root weevil

November 29, 2009

(Pachnaeus litus)

It's hard to find a more striking bug than a bluegreen weevil, also known as a Southern citrus root weevil. This member of the broad-nosed weevil family was hiking along the stem of a wild cotton plant, where University of Florida Professor of Entomology Phil Stansly said it might take a few notches out of the leaf edges. But it probably would rather be on an orange tree.

Citrus root weevils lay 25 to 50 cream-colored, cylindrical eggs on citrus foliage. The weevils are only one-third to one-half-inch long, but an adult may lay 4,000 eggs over a life span of up to four months.

When the eggs hatch the larvae fall to the ground, enter the soil, and feed on the fibrous roots of citrus. The larvae then pupate and the adults emerge from the soil and feed on citrus leaves, thus doing a double-evil weevil whammy.