Carrot Weevil – Listronotus oregonensis

Carrot Weevil (Listronotus oregonensis) Latin Name: Listronotus oregonensis Common Name: Carrot Weevil Territory: Carrot Weevil is found in North America Damages caused by Carrot Weevil: They commonly attack cultivated members of the Apiaceae family, such as parsley, carrot, celery, and dill. The larvae of the carrot weevil inflict direct harm to the vegetable by feeding on the root, which can result in production losses of up to 50 percent. Life history and habits: Carrot weevil adults spend the night in a quiescent state, hiding in the top five centimeters of soil, weed, grass, and debris left in the field or in field borders. The female deposits her eggs in a burrow that she has dug at the base of the petiole of the carrot leaf in the springtime. This cavity is called the “carrot leaf nest.” The larva develops through four distinct phases before it begins to eat, which results in the formation of tunnels within the carrot. The last stage of development, known as the pupa, takes place in the soil away from the host plant. A few days later, an adult will emerge from the pupa. Depending on the geographic latitude, the carrot weevil can have anywhere from one to three generations in a year. However, if the environmental conditions are bad, this species will go into a reproductive diapause, which prevents them from producing eggs until the next spring.