Creeping out of the woodwork after winter is an insect with an incredible looking nose. Of all the noses in the animal kingdom, the Weevil beetle must surely have one of the most surreal.
There are many different types of weevil, but many that we can see are oval in shape with a long, tubular nose. At this time of year, those individuals that have been hibernating in and around our houses may be waking up and can be seen crawling around the skirting board in search of their first meal.
From here, weevils will escape the home and head back to the wild, where the females will lay their eggs in soil around a ‘host’ plant. Weevils feed on plants and each species will have a certain type they will feed on.
The Nettle Weevil for example will usually be found on nettles whereas the Mint Weevil will be found on, you guessed it, mint.
When the young weevils hatch, they will dig through the soil to locate a host plant and, using their long mouthparts like a straw, will tap into the plant and suck up valuable food.
In the UK they make up part of a thriving garden ecosystem, so in the upcoming months keep an eye out for baby weevils about the same size as a full stop!
Don’t forget…
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