50 more urban species #8: Black Vine Weevil.

[urbpan]

Black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus

The above insect is pictured indoors, not its typical habitat. It was found in a laundry room near a pile of dirty clothes which had been worn for several hours of outdoor work. Like many insects, this one came inside by accident.

I know because the group of beetles this one belongs to is exclusively plant-eating. Weevils are beetles with several distinct features, including a head with a narrow snout-like end, and outer wings which are completely fused. This last feature is probably fortunate, as weevils can be serious agricultural pests, and if they could fly they could spread their damage much more quickly. It's bad enough that this particular genus of weevil is parthenogenetic--their eggs do not need to be fertilized by a male to hatch. In fact, when these Eurasian beetles occur in North America, only females are found.

There are a number of similar looking species, but upon discussion with entomologist friends (thanks badnoodles and nutmeg !) I have decided this is most likely the black vine weevil. As befits a successful urban species, it feeds on a wide variety of plants, as both a larva and an adult, including many familiar ornamentals and weeds. A shortened list of host species includes asters, raspberries, yew, hemlock,  euonymus, lilac, bindweeds and morning glories (the only vines I could find on the list), ragweed,  lilies, and cocklebur.