Habitat: Found mainly in southern and central parts of Europe
Status: No Conservation Concerns
This funny-looking insect is the Acorn Weevil (Curculio glandium), which uses its long nose to drill and burrow into – what else?! – acorns! Its long snout, or “rostrum,” has small, saw-like teeth on the end. The female will use her snout to bore a hole into the side of an acorn, sucking out and eating some of the yummy nut. Then, she’ll deposit a single egg inside of the acorn. The tiny, cream-colored grub develops inside, consuming the remainder of the nut, until it is fully grown and is able to burrow out of the other side of the acorn and pupate in nearby soil.
© Laura Jesse, ISU
Needless to say, these insects are quite the pests of Oak trees. The only reason why I’m not so mad at these guys for destroying the tree’s seeds is because of their hysterical faces. I mean really, it’s hard to be mad at a bug with a face like that!
Don’t you think this guy looks like Gonzo from the Muppets?
