The distinguishing feature of these beetles is their long ‘snouts’. Most adults are black, grey or brown. The legless larvae are usually a light colour with a brown head.
Adult size: 10 mm
Out and about
Generally like warmer climates and are around in spring when the weather warms up. Native to Australia it is found over much of Australia particularly through Queensland, Tasmania, into South Australia and south-west Western Australia.
Reproduction and Life cycle
In spring the female will lay eggs on the ground. Once hatched, the larvae will burrow into the soil where they feed on the roots of plants.
Larvae spend winter in the ground and emerge as adults in the spring.
To deter
Practice good ‘housekeeping’; keep weeds down, maintain healthy plants, rotate crops and plant legumes after weevils’ preferred crops have finished to starve them off.
To control
-spray with pyrethrum
-spray with neem oil
Plants to repel
Plant catnip or throw some leaves around the plants.
Plants to attract
Predators
Why they are a Pest
The elephant weevil likes grape vines (a major pest in the wine industry), citrus, apples, apricots, peaches and eucalypts. They damage young plants by ring barking, eating leaves and stems, and scalloping the foliage.
The larvae are wood borers, live in the soil and eat the roots of plants.
