Adult vegetable weevils have a drab gray-brown hue and are 6-8 mm (approximately 0.25-0.3 inch) in length.
Adults have thick hairs and dense scales on their bodies, giving them a bristly look.
On the wings, they frequently feature a series of black diagonal patterns framing a lighter colored V-shape; however these markings may fade with maturity.
The antennae are elbowed, and the front of the head has a short, robust snout.
Host plant:
Vegetable weevils are polyphagous, attacking a broad variety of hosts, including numerous cole crops (turnip, collard, mustard, and others); tomato, potato; carrot, beet, radish, turnip, beans; tobacco; many weeds, and several ornamentals.
Territory:
The vegetable weevil, which originated in South America, has spread to many regions of the world. This bug was discovered in Mississippi in 1922 and San Francisco in 1926. It is presently common in the southern United States and Hawaii.
Damages caused by Vegetable Weevil:
Adult vegetable weevils are attracted to young rapeseed fields and can kill plants, particularly around the crop’s edge. Crops planted in capeweed-infested paddocks may be harmed throughout by adults and larvae. They chew leaves and cotyledons, giving them a serrated look, and adults frequently eat all the way down to the ground.
Life history and habits:
Female vegetable weevils are parthenogenetic, and males of this species are unknown. Beginning in late summer and occasionally into early spring, eggs are placed on the plant crown or at the soil line. The development of eggs and larvae takes several months. Mature larvae pupate in the soil throughout the winter, and adults emerge the following spring. Adult weevils can live for 1-2 years and have a single generation every year. Adults and grubs are more active at night, and spend the day hiding in the dirt or under leaf litter. During the summer, adults rest amid plant detritus along field boundaries. Adults are frequently found along the boundaries of fields rather than throughout the field since they rarely fly. Adult vegetable weevils, like many other weevils, pretend death when disturbed, frequently falling off the host plant.
