Sitophilus spp.

From Bugwoodwiki

rice weevil Photo by Clemson University - USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series, , Bugwood.org Taxonomy Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Hexapoda (including Insecta) Order: Coleoptera Family: Curculionidae Genus: Sitophilus Species: oryzae Scientific Name Sitophilus oryzae (Linnaeus)

Description

These weevils include granary, rice, and maize weevils of the species Sitophilus.

Adults are small brown to black snout beetles, about 3 to 6 mm long. Larvae are small, white, legless grubs usually found in stored grain.

Hosts

All kinds of stored grains.

Damage

Adults and larvae infest stored grains, frequently causing the complete destruction of grain in elevators, farm bins and in kitchens. Adults also feed on flour.

Life Cycle

Overwinter as adults or larvae. Adults can survive zero weather for several hours. Females chew small holes into grain kernels, lay 300 to 400 eggs over a period of months, one egg per cavity, and seal each oviposition hole with a plug of gluey secretion. Eggs hatch in a few days and larvae feed in and destroy the interior of the grain. Pupation occurs within grain kernels. The entire life cycle takes from four to seven weeks, depending on temperature.

Control

Controls include sanitation, protectant insecticides and fumigation.