Craponius inaequalis

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Subphylum	Hexapoda
Class	Insecta
Subclass	Pterygota
Infraclass	Neoptera
Order	Coleoptera
Suborder	Polyphaga
Infraorder	Cucujiformia
Superfamily	Curculionoidea
Family	Curculionidae
Subfamily	Ceutorhynchinae
Tribe	Cnemogonini
Genus	Craponius

Scientific Name

Craponius inaequalis

Common Name

grape curculio

Author: Dr. D. L. Horton, Dr. H C Ellis, University of Georgia, Department of Entomology.

Description

Grape curculio adults are reddish-black snout weevils which measure 3 mm long by 2.5 mm wide. Larvae are legless and yellowish-white with brown heads.

Hosts

Grapes

Damage

Adults feed on grape foliage, causing a characteristic zig-zag pattern on the undersurface of leaves and fruit petioles. They also damage fruit by puncturing berries with their snout prior to laying eggs. Larvae cause serious damage by feeding inside the berries on pulp and seeds.

Life Cycle

Overwinter as adults in ground trash in and around vineyards. They emerge from hibernation in the spring and attack the fruit about 25 days after emerging, which is mid-June in Georgia. Each female will oviposit in from one to 14 berries per day, and egg laying continues for 78 days on average. Larvae feed for 12 days, emerge from the berries, drop to the ground, and pupate in the soil. The pupal stage last 19 days. Adults emerge in late summer and feed on grape foliage. These adults overwinter. There is one generation per year.

Control

Good orchard sanitation, a thorough clean-up of leaf litter and rotten berries beneath the vines can reduce curculio density. Insecticides sprays are required whenever the insects or damage are present.

Originally compiled from

• Ellis, H.C. and D. L. Horton. Grape Curculio. The University of Georgia.