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Section D

Curculionidae

This group, with their long rostrums (read: noses), elbowed antennae, and particularly rounded elytra comprise some of the beetles known as weevils. 

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Lucky for us, there are few that are actively attracted to light, although a few species do occasionally turn up in traps. I suspect this is due to their 'tuck and drop' survival mechanism where they kamikaze from any foliage they happen to be on when threatened (or caught by a gust of wind).

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Most weevils have a food plant preference, so it can be handy to know what trees are near your trap.

For everything Weevil, Mark Gurney is the go-to guy, and he has written some AMAZING weevil guides.

They cost nothing, so make sure you make his time worth it and send him in your weevil records via IRecord

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Curculio sp.

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Medium sized brown or grey weevils that have a very long rostrum and elbowed antennae with a club. As the most common species is often found as larvae in Acorns the group is often called 'Acorn Weevils'.

 

We have 6 species in the UK and 2 are pretty darned rare

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I've already Written up a snazzy ID guide to the UK species here. 

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Curculio

Barynotus obscurus

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Family: Curculionidae

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Family: Curculionidae

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There are 3 species of Barynotus in the UK, the other two being:

B. morerens: (which has 5 longitudinal grooves along its rostrum)

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B. Squamosus: elytra all one colour although shiny black cuticle showing underneath the matt scales (and on average smaller 6.9-8.8 mm)

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B.obscurus

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ID Features

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  • Wide rostrum 

  • Pronotum wider than long with rounded sides 

  • Elytra widest behind middle

  • matt appearance to elytra with lighter spots

  • Shiny cuticle barely showing through elytral scales 

  • Setae on elytral apex as long as the width of hind tibae 

  • March to November

  • 7.1-11.00

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Still not sure? 

Try Mark Gurneys Guide

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Barynot

Otiorynchus sulcatus 

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Family: Curculionidae

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A broad oval species associated with cultivated plants, and is notorious as a gardeners pest. Females reproduce pathogenically.

 

Care must be taken to separate it from other rarer similar Otiorhyncus species, which

Mark Gurney has made an exceptional ID guide to here 

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ID Features

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  • Broad oval species

  • Black with golden flecked patches of scales

  • Warty appearance to pronotum 

  • Broad Rostrum 

  • black legs with red claws 

  • March to October 

  • 7.0-9.5mm 

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Otiorhyn slc

Brachypera zoilus

Family: Curculionidae

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A mottled brown weevil with a thick rostrum  and parallel sides. Feeds on clovers (Trifolium)

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Mark Gurney has made an exceptional ID guide to here 

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ID Features

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  • Large broad Body

  • Parallel sided 

  • Central pale stripe on the pronotum

  • Rostrum thick and short

  • Mottled with Black patches 

  • Dark brown tibia

  • Obvious shoulders

  • Antennae feniculus 7 segmented

  • March to July 

  • 6.8-8.5mm 

Widespread but uncommon 

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Brachypera zoilus

Hypera postica  

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Family: Curculionidae

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ID Features

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