Curculionidae (weed bioagents)
Author(s): Scott Bauer, USDA Agricultural Research Service
Source: IPM Images
Curculionidae (weed bioagents) - (weevils, natural enemies of weeds)
This very large family of beetles, also called "true weevils", contains many species specialized on specific invasive plants which are considered useful biological control agents. Some are commercially available and have been introduced deliberately against invasive weeds.
Most species of Curculionidae can be easily recognized by the long snout and the elbow-shaped antennae which arise from the middle of the snout. With the mouthparts at the tip of the snout, the weevils can create deep holes in plant tissue, usually for depositing eggs.
For species harmful to crops see Curculionidae (plant pests).
The following genera and individual species are currently entered as weed bioagents under this family:
- Anthonomus (genus - weed bioagents)
- Bangasternus (genus - weed bioagents)
- Cyphocleonus (genus - weed bioagents)
- Cyrtobagous (genus - weed bioagents)
- Eucryptorrhynchus (genus - weed bioagents)
- Euhrychiopsis lecontei (weed bioagent)
- Eustenopus villosus (weed bioagent)
- Hylobius transversovittatus (weed bioagent)
- Larinus (genus - weed bioagents)
- Mecinus (genus - weed bioagents)
- Mogulones (genus - weed bioagents)
- Neochetina (genus - weed bioagents)
- Oxyops vitiosa (weed bioagent)
- Rhinocyllus conicus (weed bioagent)
- Rhinoncomimus latipes (weed bioagent)
- Rhinoncus pericarpius (weed bioagent)
- Rhyssomatus (genus - weed bioagents)
- Smicronyx (genus - weed bioagents)
- Stenopelmus rufinasus (weed bioagent)
- Trichosirocalus (genus - weed bioagents)
