Larinus obtusus

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Blunt knapweed flower weevil
Curculionidae - Larinus obtusus-1.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Curculionidae
Genus: Larinus
Species:
L. obtusus
Binomial name
Larinus obtusus
Gyllenhal, 1836

Larinus obtusus is a species of true weevil known as the blunt knapweed flower weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, especially spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa).

The adult weevil is dark brown with a large, bulbous snout. It is 5 to 7 millimeters (0.19 to 0.27 inches) long in total. It is active throughout the summer when the female lays yellow eggs in the opened flower head. The larva emerges and feeds on the developing seeds inside the head. The larval stage lasts 17 days, after which the larva constructs a cocoon from the remnants of the seeds and pupates within it for about nine days. Most of the damage to the plant is done by the larva's feeding on the seeds; the adult feeds on the foliage but does less drastic damage to the plant. The average lifespan of the weevil is around 94 days for males and 58 for females.

This weevil is native to Europe and the Middle East. It was first introduced to the United States for the biocontrol of knapweeds in the Boulder, Colorado area in 1991. [1] It is now established in much of the northwestern United States, but its abundance is unknown. [1] This weevil is quite similar to its relative, Larinus minutus , which is also a knapweed specialist used for biocontrol. They are currently considered separate species but this could change with further research.

Related Research Articles

<i>Centaurea</i> Genus of flowering plants

Centaurea is a genus of over 700 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich.

<i>Centaurea diffusa</i> Species of flowering plant

Centaurea diffusa, also known as diffuse knapweed, white knapweed or tumble knapweed, is a member of the genus Centaurea in the family Asteraceae. This species is common throughout western North America but is not actually native to the North American continent, but to the eastern Mediterranean.

<i>Centaurea solstitialis</i> Species of flowering plant

Centaurea solstitialis, the yellow star-thistle, is a species of thorny plant in the genus Centaurea, which is part of the family Asteraceae. A winter annual, it is native to the Mediterranean Basin region and invasive in many other places. It is also known as golden starthistle, yellow cockspur and St. Barnaby's thistle.

<i>Bruchidius villosus</i> Species of beetle

Bruchidius villosus is a species of bean weevil known by the common names broom seed beetle and Scotch broom bruchid. This beetle is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed known as Scotch broom.

<i>Exapion fuscirostre</i> Species of beetle

Exapion fuscirostre is a species of straight-snouted weevil known by the general common name Scotch broom seed weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed known as Scotch broom.

<i>Cyrtobagous salviniae</i> Species of beetle

Cyrtobagous salviniae is a species of weevil known as the salvinia weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious aquatic plant giant salvinia.

<i>Agapeta zoegana</i> Species of moth

Agapeta zoegana is a species of moth known as the sulphur knapweed moth and the yellow-winged knapweed root moth. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, particularly spotted knapweed and diffuse knapweed.

<i>Bangasternus fausti</i> Species of beetle

Bangasternus fausti is a species of true weevil known as the broad-nosed seed head weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, particularly spotted knapweed, squarrose knapweed, and diffuse knapweed.

Chaetorellia acrolophi is a species of tephritid fruit fly known as the knapweed peacock fly. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, especially spotted knapweed.

<i>Cyphocleonus achates</i> Species of beetle

Cyphocleonus achates is a species of true weevil known as the knapweed root weevil. It is native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean and is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, especially spotted knapweed. It has recently been spotted in India.

Larinus minutus is a species of true weevil known as the lesser knapweed flower weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, especially diffuse knapweed and spotted knapweed.

<i>Metzneria paucipunctella</i> Species of moth

Metzneria paucipunctella is a species of moth known as the spotted knapweed seed head moth. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious knapweeds, particularly spotted knapweed.

Phrydiuchus tau is a species of true weevils known as the Mediterranean sage root weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against noxious weed Mediterranean sage.

<i>Rhinocyllus conicus</i> Species of beetle

Rhinocyllus conicus is a species of true weevil. It is best known as a controversial agent of biological pest control which has been used against noxious thistles in the genera Carduus, Cirsium, Onopordum, and Silybum.

Chaetorellia australis is a species of tephritid fruit fly known as the yellow starthistle peacock fly. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed yellow starthistle.

<i>Eustenopus villosus</i> Species of beetle

Eustenopus villosus is a species of true weevil known as the yellow starthistle hairy weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed yellow starthistle.

<i>Larinus curtus</i> Species of beetle

Larinus curtus is a species of true weevil known as the yellow starthistle flower weevil. It is native to Southern Italy, Southern Europe, the Middle East and the Caucasuses. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed yellow starthistle in the United States.

<i>Urophora affinis</i> Species of fly

Urophora affinis is a species of tephritid or fruit flies in the genus Urophora of the family Tephritidae. It has been released in the United States and Canada as a biocontrol agent to control spotted knapweed. U. affinis became established in Montana in 1973.

<i>Larinus planus</i> Species of beetle

Larinus planus is an insect of the Curculionidae family. They are oval shaped, dark brown or black, and about 5–10 millimetres long. While native to Europe, it is also common in North America. It feeds on floral buds, primarily of thistles, with the larvae stage being the most destructive to them. In North America, it has been used as a biocontrol agent. It is also known as Larinus carlinae.

References

  1. 1 2 Seastedt, T.R.; Knochel, D.G.; Garmoe, M.; Shosky, S.A. (2007). "Interactions and effects of multiple biological control insects on diffuse and spotted knapweed in the Front Range of Colorado" (PDF). Biological Control 42, 345–354. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-08-14.
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