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Rice Weevil damage
(John Obermeyer, Purdue University)

Common Name: Rice Weevil - damage
See also: adult | larva

Scientific Name: Curculionidae: Sitophilus oryzae

Status: pest of stored cereal products

Damaging Stage: larval and adult

Injury: Rice weevils are generally pests of wheat, oats, rye, barley, rice, and corn. Adult females drill a hole into the grain kernel and lay their eggs in the cavity. The hole is plugged with a saplike secretion. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae bore toward the center of the kernel, where they feed and pupate.

Action Threshold: A rice weevil infestation can be detected through the strategic placement of sticky traps around a storage facility. All infested materials should be destroyed.

Management: The best way to control an infestation is to locate the source and eliminate it. Insecticides should not be used because food for human consumption is involved.