Gorgeous Beetle from Rio de Janeiro
We spotted this gorgeous shiny green beetle walking along the stone walls around the base of the statue of Christ the Redeemer at Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro in November 2005. When I saw his twin in the British mini-series “Wives and Daughters” this evening (preserved as a specimen being viewed by one of the characters), I found your site, but I didn’t see any beetles who looked like him. He was about 1.5 inches long. Can you identify him? http://www.bundlings.com/rio6.htm (photo of beetle is about 3/4 way down page) Best regards,
Debbie Schilling
Indianapolis
Hi Debbie,
This is some species of Weevil, a beetle in the family Curculionidae. We found an unidentified specimen photo on the BugManiac online store that looks very similar.
Update: Wed, Feb 25, 2009 at 9:18 AM
Re: Unknown Brazilian Weevil – January 25th, 2008
Hi Daniel:
The blue/green striped weevil posted by Debbie Schilling, and referred to in the recent blue Brazilian weevil posting, is probably in the genus Entimus (Curculionidae : Entiminae). It’s a relatively small neotropical genus with fewer than a dozen species, but all are notable for there incredible luster and brilliance. The largest of the group, E. imperialis, is sometimes called the Diamond Beetle and has long been used as an item of jewelry by regional native peoples. I can’t be certain about the species but from what I can tell E. nobilis seems to be the closest match. As a group, these weevils are apparently quite common in Brazil and they are popular among collectors, so it is a little surprising that good online photos are difficult to find. Regards.
Karl
http://www.worldfieldguide.com/wfg-species-detail.php?taxno=8498&gr=world
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Posted 25 January 2008
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Strange Bug!!
Hey! This bug Landed on my windshield today!!! I had seen your site some time ago while I was trying to identify another bug(which just so happened to be a waterbug).. Anyway I just happened to be on my way home, and I try to always keep my camera with me, which(lucky me) has digital macro, so I got a decent shot!! I am hoping you could help me identify it, it was just TINY!!!! I would say maybe 2 millimeters Long!! NO JOKE it was tiny, but it flew away before I could get a better pic.. Its Orange and black and has 4 normal size legs that were attached to its abdomen and 2 MUCH larger ones attached to its thorax, or at least appeared to be legs, then on the front of its head directly between its eyes were two kind of like feelers or antanae I’m not sure, and then between those was something like a maxilla, or something.. Well, hope you can help, I’ve never seen this one before.. I’m in Sarasota, FL USA, so maybe they just hide, or its a traveler!! THANKS!!!
Butterfly
Hi Butterfly,
Knowing this was a species of Weevil, we quickly located the Cycad Weevil, Rhopalotria slossoni, on BugGuide. Once we had a name, we found that the Cycad Weevil ranges from Miami to the Everglades, and that it is a significant pollinator of the Cycad Zamia pumila.
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Posted 23 January 2008
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Unidentified plant weevil
Hellooo bugman,
Found this bug whilst walking through a jungle here in Malaysia. It’s about an inch long, and was resting on a leaf. I assume it’s some sort of weevil? Thanks in advance,
Izuan
Hi Izuan,
You are correct. This is a Weevil, but we don’t know what species. It sure is a pretty specimen.
Hollyhock Weevils
Hi there! Just a follow-up to my recent e-mail …I’ve been completely mesmerized by your site. I ’ve re-discovered my “inner child ”and bugs with a macro lens I picked up this spring. You have some wonderful pic tures and information on your site! Inspired by your “Love Bug ”section, h ere ’s one of my first macro shots from earlier this year of a pair of very tiny Hollyhock Weevils doing what it seems like they ’re alw ays doing
J
Hi J,
Thanks for sending us your great image of mating Hollyhock Weevils, Apion longirostre. We did some internet research and found a page devoted to them when they were the Bug of the Month back in August 1998. Your letter has us a bit confused. Your email address matches the person who signed another letter with a Brown Lynx Spider, but from a different email address, and your mysterious initial only signature seems to match the name on the other email.
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Posted 13 November 2007
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Tagged: bug love
pecan weevil
I thought you might enjoy this photo of a pecan weevil I found in our Houston yard a couple of weeks ago. I misidentified it as a boll weevil and contacted the County Extension Office which informed me it was actually a pecan weevil. As always, I love your site!
Dana
Hi Dana,
We eagerly welcome your photo of a Pecan Weevil, Curculio caryae, to our site.
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Posted 22 October 2007
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gday bugpeople…
i know you are very busy, but, I looked at this creature and have no idea what to make of it… I found these two, very well camouflaged on a fallen and decaying hoop pine body in Lamington National Park, Australia. I don’t remember if they were actually under the bark or not, if it makes a difference, but anyway- they weren’t burrowed in there when i found them. they were about 1.5cm long maybe. they sort of remind me of some sesame street character. not sure which one. i hope you’ve got something on them… thankyou…
Jenni
ps… you’ve got very interesting heads… an art project??
Hi Jenni,
We searched for a bit to try to identify your Weevil species, but without success. We did find an Australian Weevil website, but no match to your photos are posted to it. The best we could do is Weevil in superfamily Curculionoidea.
ID please
What’s the name of this bug? Thanks for any info on it.. Regards,
Raul Roa
Staff Photographer, SGVN
W. Covina, CA.
LAT:33.99641 N – LON:118.05906 W – 365 ft. elevation
Hi Raul,
This is an Agave Billbug, Scyphophorus acupunctatus, a species of Weevil that feeds on Agave and Dracaena. It is also known as the Sisal Weevil and Agave Weevil. It is native to warm arid regions of the Americas where those plants are native, including Mexico, but the species has been introduced to many other parts of the world on ornamental plants. Crop losses in Mexico might result in soaring costs of Tequila, a product of blue Agave.
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Posted 19 August 2007
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Hi,
I found these beetle east of Winnipeg ,Manitoba in a camp ground called Lilac Resort. They were about 1⁄4 of an inch long. One hitched a ride home in one of our coolers without us knowing. Although I couldn’t find any beetles that look like this one on your site, it looks akin to the blister or tiger beetle; although I’m certain it’s neither. Can you ID it for me? Thank you,
Ian
Hi Ian,
According to BugGuide, the Green Immigrant Leaf Weevil, Polydrusus sericeus, is widespread in the Eastern U.S. and Canada where it was introduced from Europe. It feeds on the leaves of yellow birch.
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Posted 08 August 2007
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“Bug” ID
Hello,
My name is Ernest Mendez, and I vacation in the Southwest, digital camera ever at the ready. On my last trip to New Mexico, I visited my usual haunts—Rockhound and Spring Canyon State Parks—and came across these two hitherto unknown (to me) species of bugs…. Can you tell me what they are…and whatever else you can tell me about them? I’ve been trying to find info about them on the web, but it’s not easy. The closest I’ve been able to get has been the Bangolore beetle (for the “long-nosed” black one). Help,
Ernesto L. Mendez
Hi Ernesto,
The orange and black couple are mating Netwing Beetles, Lycus arizonensis. Adults feed on nectar and honeydew. Your long-nosed black beetle is a Weevil. Weevils are the largest family of beetles in the world. We believe it is the Agave Billbug, Scyphophorus acupunctatus.
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Posted 02 August 2007
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Tagged: bug love
red bug on roses
Hi! These little red guys are all over our roses every Spring and if we don’t pick them off (hundreds) we get no flowers. Do you know what they are and/or how to deal with them? Thanks very much!
Sarah Cerles
Sonoma, CA
Hi Sarah,
This is the Rose Curculio or Rose Weevil, Rhynchites (Merhynchites) bicolor. BugGuide has much information on this rose pest.
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Posted 26 June 2007
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a giant orange weevil?
Hi folks! I really like the website. Bugs are neat creatures. I don’t know if you’ll be able to help me out with this one, but it’s worth a shot. My friend and I found this bug in the forest of northern Thailand. It had pretty sharp little toes and looks like a giant weevil. I can’t figure anything else out, though. I looked at the Thai bugs website and it wasn’t there as far as I saw. Help! Thanks,
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie,
This is a Weevil, but we don’t know the species. Once we catch up on unanswered mail, we will try to identify the species.
Hi Bugman,
Do you have any idea what kind of beetle this is and more impotantly why it has hair on it’s long horn and face? Thank you.
Jordan
Costa Rica
Hi Jordan,
A change in the way we are receiving email and problems posting to the site have impacted the time we have for research. Since we have a dedicated reader who really enjoys searching the internet and identifying creatures that stump us there should be a proper identification soon. There are other Weevils with similar hair, but we cannot tell you the reason.
ID on Unknown weevil from Costa Rica
What a magnificent and rather huge beast! I believe this is the same weevil as the one shown in “Weevil from Panama is Cuban Weevil” (05/02/2006). As Diane pointed out back then, it appears on three different postage stamps at: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~ch2m-nitu/osazoums.htm And in a photo at: http://www.bugnation.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=38132&sid=3fb17eaedae231a27b673adc617c659e So this is apparently Rhina oblita Jacquelin du Val, 1857, the Cuban Weevil. Some weevils are naturally hairy. My guess would be that in beetles that eat flowers, or any part of a plant which is really sticky, perhaps it’s much easier to comb droplets of sticky gunk off of hairs, than it is to try to scrape gunk off of your exoskeleton?
Susan
Bearded weevil
Daniel:
Ok, looks like the bearded weevil is the “bottlebrush weevil,” Rhinostomus (formerly Rhina) barbirostris. Thanks to Insectia.com and GodofInsects.com for images and a little information. The specimen has to be a male, as females do not have the hairy snout.
Eric
Thank you Susan and Eric for your continued support.
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Posted 12 March 2007
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