Bird-Cherry Weevil Furcipus rectirostris
The snout of the Bird-cherry Weevil is impressive, but not extremely long. And it is rather straight, compared to the snout of many other weevils. This is a small species measuring some 4 mm. It is brown with dense hairs all over. On the neck these hairs usually are ochre. On the shields also black patches of hairs are present. There are a few very similar species, but the Bird-cherry Weevil is the only one with two distinct thorns on the front legs. After hibernation the Bird-cherry Weevil appears in May. The adult beetles feed by eating the leaves of various charry species (Prunus sp). The females deposit the eggs in the new fruits. The stones of new cherries are still soft and the larva creeps inside the stone to eat the inside. The fruit later falls on the ground and the larvae dig themselves in to pupate and hibernate. There is only one brood per year. Sometimes a pest in the cherry orchard, but usually the damage is not very extensive.
The Bird-cherry Weevil is also known as the Cherry-stone Weevil, Stone-fruit Weevil, the Cherry Fruit Weevil and the Cherry-blossom Weevil. Scientifically also known as Anthonomus rectirostris.
