Sciopithes obscurus
{{short description|Species of beetle}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Obscure root weevil
| image = Obscure Root Weevil.jpg
| genus = Sciopithes
| species = obscurus
| authority = Horn, 1876
| synonyms = {{Species list
| Sciopithes angustulus | Casey, 1888
| Sciopithes brumalis | Casey, 1888
| Sciopithes significans | Casey, 1888
}}
}}
Sciopithes obscurus, the Obscure root weevil, is a species of broad-nosed weevil in the beetle family Curculionidae, found in the Pacific Northwest of North America.
Description
They are {{convert|6|to|8|mm}} long, and gray or brown, with a wavy line across their back.{{Cite web |title=Blueberry-Obscure root weevil |url=https://pnwhandbooks.org/insect/small-fruit/blueberry/blueberry-obscure-root-weevil |access-date=May 23, 2025 |website=Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks }} They are cylindrical in shape, with a short snout and elbowed antennae near the tip of the snout, in front of the eyes.{{Cite web |title=Obscure root weevil |url=https://pestweb.com/pests/821/obscure-root-weevil |access-date=May 23, 2025 |website=PestWeb }}
Feeding
They are nocturnal, on feed on plant foliage on night. Unlike other species of weevil, they sometimes remain in the foliage during the day, rather than climbing down to the soil. They are considered a pest in the Pacific Northwest,{{Cite web |title=Obscure Root Weevil |url=https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/nurspest/insects/obscure-root-weevil |access-date=May 23, 2025 |website=Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences |publisher=Oregon State University }} particularly on rhododendrons and strawberries.
Life cycle
Females lay up to a hundred eggs, either in the folds of leaves, or in the soil. There is one generation per year, and upon hatching, the larvae immediately crawl into the soil and begin feeding on roots.
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
{{refbegin}}
- {{Cite book
| title = Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume 7: Curculionoidea I
| date = 2013
| editor-last1 = Lobl | editor-first1 = I.
| editor-last2 = Smetana | editor-first2 = A.
| publisher = Apollo Books
| isbn = 978-90-04-26093-1
}}
- {{Cite book
| title = Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume 8: Curculionoidea II
| date = 2013
| editor-last1 = Lobl | editor-first1 = I.
| editor-last2 = Smetana | editor-first2 = A.
| publisher = Apollo Books
| isbn = 978-90-04-25916-4
}}
{{refend}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q54985150}}
Category:Articles created by Qbugbot
Category:Beetles described in 1876
{{Entiminae-stub}}