Subject: Re: Diamond backed Beetle
Location: Brazil
April 10, 2013 4:23 pm
I think I identified it, but not from a picture. I can’t find a picture anywhere.
It is an Imperial Diamond Beetle found mostly in South America. I identified it from a description found in an online Heritage Dictionary for an Imperial Diamond Beetle of Brazil, Zoology by George Shaw. It also has a sketch. It is also described in Chamber’s Encyclopaedia.
Am I correct? Do you know where I may find other photographs?
Thank you!
Signature: Gabrielle

Diamond Weevil

Dear Gabrielle,
Our search for Imperial Diamond Beetle did not turn up anything, but we recognized this beetle as a Weevil, so we searched “weevil Brazil” and we were led to the Wired.com site and a description of the Diamond Weevil, Entimus imperialis.  According to Wired.com:  “The scales are a type of three-dimensional crystal, called a photonic crystal, which is much like an opal. Each kind of photonic crystal reflects a specific wavelength of light at a specific orientation. Other crystals lacking a regular 3-D structure, meanwhile, aren’t as brilliant or iridescent.”  Democratic Underground is another place to find information on the Diamond Weevil:  “The reason some insects change color depending on the angle you look at them is due to the structure of their pigmentation — specifically the number of dimensions and shape of photonic crystals on their exoskeleton. Entimus imperialis has three-dimensional photonic crystals in these pits, arranged in a diamond-type structure. The functional effect of this is that depending on your distance and the lighting, the insect can look remarkably different. ”

Thanks for your help in identifying this beetle.
FYI: The entry called it an Imperial Beetle (without the diamond) – my mistake. So that’s why I couldn’t find any photos anywhere. But I believe they are one and the same.

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Subject: Weevils
Location: Jaraguá, São Paulo, Brazil
January 22, 2013 7:35 am
Hello, there!
I’m sending the pictures of these two impressive weevils. The large dark guy is a black coconut bunch weevil Homalinotus coriaceus. The colorful one is Naupactus rivulosus and feeds on citrus. Both are considered pests of economic importance here in Brazil.
Signature: Cesar Crash

Weevil from Brazil: Homalinotus coriaceus

Hi Cesar,
Thank you for sending your spectacular images that illustrate the diversity of Weevil species in Brazil.

Weevil from Brazil: Naupactus rivulosus

Daniel, you can crop the images I send to remove the watermark anyway you wish.
It’s because I send it at work, then I took my own images in the internet, I like to register the time the pictures are taken for sazonal references.

Thanks Cesar,
That is nice to know for the next time you send photos.  I wanted to preserve your copyright information on the image, so I cut and pasted it back after cropping to resize.

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Subject: What this bug?
Location: Situ Cileunca, Warnasari, Pangalengan, West Java, Indonesia
December 2, 2012 3:48 pm
Take a picture of this bug 11/27/2010 on my insect hunting photo, but I don’t know what is it.
Signature: Mohamad Idham Iskandar

Weevil

Dear Mohamad,
This is a Weevil, a type of Beetle often referred to as a Snout Beetle.  We are uncertain of the species.

Weevil

Thanks Daniel, now I know where I should search .

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Subject: What’s this turquoise and black bug we found??
Location: Sydney, Australia
November 27, 2012 5:51 pm
Hi there! My kiddos found this bug on their bedroom window this morning (28/11/2012 – spring) and because it’s one we’ve never seen before we wanted to know what it was! We’re also a homeschooling family so this is a great opportunity for us to do an impromptu unit study and learn more about the things in the world around us! However, we can’t really study an unidentified insect so we’re hoping you can help. The bug is around 2cm long, is black with turquoise-coloured markings and the front of it’s face is long like a snout with antennae on the end. We understand that you can’t answer everyone but we’re looking forward to your reply if possible. Thanks so much! Regards, Amanda Ramirez.
Signature: Ramirez family in Sydney Australia

Botany Bay Weevil

Hi Amanda,
This is a Botany Bay Weevil, Chrysolopus spectabilis, and you might enjoy this posting from our archive (Unnecessary Carnage) that has a happy ending.

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Subject: North NJ Bug
Location: Fair Lawn, NJ
September 28, 2012 2:36 pm
Hi,
My six-year-old daughter Courtney, an avid bug collector, found this guy in her grandma’s backyard yesterday and would love to know what it is. It was found in Fair Lawn, NJ, on September 28.
Thanks so much!
Signature: Dawn Altieri

Weevil

Dear Dawn,
We hope you don’t consider our editorial staff to be slackers, but we don’t have the energy right now to identify this Weevil to the species level.  Weevils are the largest superfamily of insects belonging to the largest order of insects, the beetles.  Here is what BugGuide has to say:  “Arguably, the largest animal family with more than 40,000 species worldwide and 2,500 spp. in ~480 genera of 19 subfamilies in our area (Staphylinidae and/or Ichneumonidae may turn out more speciose.)”  The other impediment is that many Weevils look alike, with the long snout and drab brown coloration being identifying traits of many Weevils.

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Subject: Can you ID this bug?
Location: Southwest Mississippi
September 18, 2012 11:53 pm
Found this little critter on the bedskirt one night as I was pulling back the covers. Doesn’t look like any bed bug I’ve seen, but then again… I live in an historic little town (Magnolia) in Southwest Mississippi. City limits, but I have a rather large (drainage) ditch running through my property. Four dogs (2outside,2inside) and a male cat who comes and goes inside and out. (Cat is a hunter) All the pine trees have been removed from property. Have several large oaks, large white magnolia tree, two japanese magnolias, and about 8 old camelias to the back of my lot. Good grass on lawn, mulched beds around house with lots of azaleas. Sometimes moisture is an issue in my old house, having a 1/2 basement. Home is brick, but have lots of wood, too. Built in early ’30s with a huge attic.
Signature: Marla

Weevil

Weevil

Thank you so much!  I searched the internet for days trying to ID this little critter, and here you name him in a flash!!  But OMG, never would have guessed a weevil!  I always think of the teenie tiny critters in the cream of wheat box when someone says weevil.  This fella is much much larger!  Bollweevil, do you think?  I’m in Mississippi, but I don’t live on a cotton plantation.  This little guy is the only one I have seen (ever) in my house, or around my house (anywhere) for that matter …and to find him in the bedroom…. ????  As the songs go…. he’s just lookin’ for a home, eyh!  Thanks again.  I greatly appreciate your help.
Have a great day!

Hi Marla,
You have so much enthusiasm.  It is refreshing.  We apologize for the terse response but we wanted to answer a few more requests prior to rushing off to work this morning.  Now that we are home, we will post your submission and attempt to identify the Weevil more specifically.  It is not a Boll Weevil, as you can see by checking out the photos on BugGuide.  As we suspected, this is an Acorn or Nut Weevil in the genus Curculio, but as you can see from the species listed on BugGuide, an exact identification might be difficult.

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