Rose curculio weevil

The rose curculio, Merhynchites (=Rhynchites) bicolor can be found feeding on rosacious hosts including wild and domestic roses; blackberries, raspberries, and thimbleberries thoughout the northwest. These variably-colored beetles can range from a bright lacquer red to all black. They have a very long snout, useful to penetrate buds for feeding and laying eggs.

In western Oregon a population of adults were noted during the week of May 7th, 2007. They were aggregated near the buds and flowers of thimbleberry.

Further information about rose curculio can be found at these websites:

Baldo Villegas' Rose Weevils (Curculios) website is one of the most thorough available with great pictures and helpful lifecycle information.

Nanette Londeree also has nice images of the rose curculio and damage on roses in her web article, Garden Bad Guys - rose curculios.

Cool pictures at the BugGuide website.

Rose curculio weevil adult

Photo: Rosetta

Rose curculio weevil adults on flower bud

Photo: Rosetta

Rose curculio adult closeup

Photo: Rosetta

Rose curculio weevil bud damage. Note the two holes in the bud on the left and the dead bud on the right (stem damage)

Photo: Rosetta

Rose curculio weevil damage to blossom

Photo: Rosetta

Page last modified 5/14/07