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Vine weevil with wings?

Last post 18-05-2012 7:56 AM by Pesty. 4 replies.

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  • 17/05/2012 08:56 PM
    • ABell
    • Scottish Borders
    • 10 May 2012
    • 2
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    Has anybody seen a vine weevil with wings?

    All the books say they are wingless, but I squashed one the other day as usual, but this time, wings came out of the wing casing.

    Can't find any info, even on this RHS site!!!

     
  • 17/05/2012 09:37 PM
    In reply to
    • Phot's-Moll
    • The sunny South coast.
    • 06 Jan 2007
    • 4,540
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     I've Googled and it seems they have wings, but they're fused together so the weevils can't fly.

    Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.
  • 17/05/2012 11:47 PM
    In reply to
    • 07 Nov 2006
    • 2,376
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    Ah!  The phantom Vine weevil

    Yes my friend.  THey do in deed have wings.  I have never seen one in flight, so probably your research is correct.

    Dare I admit.  Many years ago, whilst potting-up at work. I spotted my very first vine weevil.  I was so enthralled.  This tiny creature, fantastic  design and structure etc.  Beautiful example of creation.  Yes. I believe in creation rather than evolution.

    I lost hundreds of Fuchsias due to this little beggar.  A word of warning to to fellow  gardeners..  Check around the rims of potted plants.  Often you will find the elusive  vine weevil.

     
  • 18/05/2012 07:10 AM
    In reply to
    • ceredig58
    • Ceredigion
    • 15 May 2012
    • 27
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    The females don't fly. But the males do.

  • 18/05/2012 07:56 AM
    In reply to
    • Pesty
    • At a desk
    • 24 Nov 2005
    • 324
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    OK some facts about vine weevil and its relatives:The vine weevil is Otiorhynchus sulcatus. It is a weevil which are beetles. The fore wings of all beetles are hardened into elytra. In the case of the vine weevil they are fused together and the hind wings are vestigial - i.e. they don't have any.There are about 20 species of Otiorhynchus is the UK, some look very similar to the vine weevil, some have wings, some have males - however no male of O. sulcatus has ever been found and they reproduce parthogeneticly. Worldwide there are 1000 species in the genus, about 120 occurring in Europe. O. sulcatus is considered to be native to the UK and has no problems with winter temperatures (its found in central Europe where it gets much colder than the UK). The vine weevil belongs to a group of weevils known as the Broad nosed weevils (Coleoptera:Curculionidae:Entiminae) there are more than 100 species in this group found in the UK - again to the untrained eye some look similar to vine weevil. Taking it one stage further there are more than 4 200 species of beetle known from Britain - I have seen beetles as diverse as the Rose Chafer, Longhorn beetles, Maybugs etc. acused of being vine weevil. So in summary if it can fly it’s not O. sulcatus, but could be one of any number of other species.  

     

    'Trying is the first step to failure' H.J.Simpson