Myllocerus undatus

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Sri Lankan weevil (click on image to enlarge it)
Author(s): Natasha Wright
Source: IPM Images
hind leg of the Sri Lankan weevil (click on image to enlarge it)
Author(s): Anyi Mazo-Vargas
Source: IPM Images

Myllocerus undatus Marshall, 1916 - (Sri Lankan weevil, Asian grey weevil)

The Sri Lankan weevil is a polyphagous and invasive weevil, native to Sri Lanka. It has first spread to India, where it causes damage to coconut palms (Josephrajkumar et al., 2011). In Sri Lanka and India it is known as the 'Asian grey weevil'. Since 2000 it has been recorded from Florida (U.S.A.) and has slowly developed into a significant pest of tropical fruit trees and ornamentals. In North America, it is referred to as the 'Sri Lankan weevil', under the latin names Myllocerus undatus, Myllocerus undecimpustulatus undatus, or Myllocerus undecimpustulatus.

The adults feed on the leaves of a large variety of plants, including fruit trees and ornamentals. They start at the leaf margin, causing the notch-like feeding damage, typical to this and other broad-nosed weevils. Eggs are laid in the soil and the larvae feed on the roots and when mature, pupate in the ground. Among the fruit trees, peach and avocado are preferred host plants in Florida (George et al., 2019).

The adult weevil is around 6-8 mm long, with a greyish-white colour and dark marks or mottling. The sides of the femora have characteristic teeth, 2 on the fore and middle legs and 3 on the hind leg. A full description of the morphology is given by George et al. (2025).

Synonyms:
Myllocerus undecimpustulatus undatus