Insect Pests of Fruit, Plantation, Medicinal & Aromatic Crops (2+1)

1. Almond weevil

1. Almond weevil Myllocerus lactivirens Marshl. (Curculionidae: Coleoptera)

Damage

• The adult weevil cut the irregular holes and gradually eat away the entire leaf lamina from the ventral all surface of leaves resulting severe defoliation.
Bionomics

• The adult weevil is small pale metallic green in colour measuring 3-4 mm long.
• It lays eggs in soil in batches of 40-50 each.
• The eggs are broadly oval, creamy yellow, smooth, transparent and shiny.
• The egg period is 4-5 days.
• The grub is creamy white, stout, without legs but short erect setae which help in locomotion.
• The full grown grubs come up to the soil surface to pupate in the upper 25 mm of the soil.
• The larval and pupal periods last for 300 days and 5 days respectively.
• The pupal stage over winters in cooler months.