Larinus latus Herbst ♂♂♀ ♥

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✔ XXS - tiny (240 x 162)
✔ XS - extra small (432 x 291)
✔ S - small (576 x 388)
✔ Original (800 x 540)

Larinus latus Herbst ♂♂♀ ♥
Common names: Capitulum Weevil [En]

Koskina castle, Ikaria ● Greece

The Capitulum Weevil is a large weevil (12-20mm long) and is one of the most common insects found on Onopordum thistles in Greece.

Biology: L. latus adults become active in spring at the time of stem elongation in their host plants. They feed on leaf tissue and, once capitulum development commences the females bore a hole into the upper stem or capitulum and lay a single egg, which they cover with a faecal cap. Upon hatching, the larvae bore into the capitulum where they feed on receptacle tissue and developing seeds. The development of L. latus from egg to emerging adult takes approximately six weeks. Adults emerge from dehiscing capitula in late summer, are inactive through autumn and winter, and commence mating in mid-spring.

References:
Invasive.org