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Rice Weevil
(John Obermeyer, Purdue University)

Common Name: Rice Weevil

Order: Coleoptera

Family: Curculionidae

Pest Status: Rice weevils are common pests of stored cereal products.

Appearance: The rice weevil is small (1/10-inch), but has a long, curved snout almost one third of the total length of the insect. The body is red-brown to black in color with four light-yellow or red spots on the corners of the wing covers.

Life Cycle: Adults chew into the grain kernels from the outside and lay their eggs inside the grain. Larvae develop through several instars and also pupate inside the grain kernels. They may complete a generation in a month in warm conditions. Adults often live for seven to eight months.

Where to Collect: These weevils are most commonly found in stored grain bins or infested pantries.