Transcript WEEVILS - Natural history

WEEVILS
Wilf Powell
A few weevil facts
• Weevils are beetles
• Plant feeders
• One of the largest groups of animals
worldwide ( 62,000 known species)
• 612 species on the British list
• About 37% are on the current Beds. list
Records received
2010
79 records of 41 species
1 addition to the county list
2007
1 record (photograph)
1999
19 records of 16 species
1 addition to the county list
Record Providers
Hugh Griffiths
Greg Herbert
Colin Lucas
Alan Oaten
John Pitts
Stephen Plummer
David Withers
Ian Woiwod
Additions to Beds. list
Coelositona cambricus
Apion haematodes
4.1 - 5.4 mm
2.1 - 2.8 mm
Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil
Sheep’s Sorrel
Apionidae
87 British species
All < 4mm, some < 2mm
Until recently all were placed
in a single genus – Apion
Now split into 33 genera
Several similar species occur
on the same host plants
e.g. 10 species commonly
occur on clovers
Some Common Weevils
Ceutorhynchus pallidactylus
Otiorhynchus sulcatus
Cabbage Stem Weevil
Vine Weevil
2.3 – 3.2 mm
7.5 – 9.5 mm
Some Common Weevils
Sitona lineatus
Phyllobius pomaceus
Pea & Bean Weevil
Nettle Weevil
3.4 – 5.3 mm
7.5 – 9.0 mm