Unidentified bug with a cute nose

Iainp · Post by **Iainp** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 3:06 pm

When I put the rubbish out the other day, this little fellow was on the bins looking up at me:

Nikon D60 with Tamron 90mm Macro

P_T · Post by **P_T** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 6:28 pm

Looks like weevil, cute nose indeed.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 7:09 pm

Definitely gives the impression of a weevil, family Curculionidae, the "snout beetles".

But when I look closely at the front of this beast, I think that the parts sticking forward are two antennae, arising from between the eyes. I don't think it really has any snout that I can see. This is not to say that it's definitely a different family, just that it's an odd critter in any case.

Perhaps someone else recognizes it more specifically?

--Rik

elf · Post by **elf** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 7:31 pm

Iainp wrote:When I put the rubbish out the other day, this little fellow was on the bins looking up at me:

\

You're the first person I've ever heard of that takes their camera along when putting out the rubbish

p.s. Nice shots of a cute insect.

Iainp · Post by **Iainp** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 1:22 am

Thanks all. Yes, my new Tamron Macro 90mm makes me feel like a proper macrophotographer now, and I really do carry it with me everywhere!

rovebeetle · Post by **rovebeetle** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 2:53 am

rjlittlefield wrote:But when I look closely at the front of this beast, I think that the parts sticking forward are two antennae, arising from between the eyes. I don't think it really has any snout that I can see. This is not to say that it's definitely a different family, just that it's an odd critter in any case.

Perhaps someone else recognizes it more specifically?

--Rik

What a poor critter! That's definitely a weevil, but the snout is broken off. That is the genus Curculio (probably C. glandium)and they usually have a very long snout with the antennae originating at about half-length of the snout. So what Rik seems to see here are definitely not antennae but the basal stump of the snout. I wonder in what accident that poor guy was involved.

Was that beetle still alive?

Cheers

Cyclops · Post by **Cyclops** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 3:29 am

I love weevils, they look so comical!

Iainp · Post by **Iainp** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 4:26 am

Ah that's why I couldn't find him in my book!

Yes he was very much alive, before and after the photo-shoot.

lauriek · Post by **lauriek** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 5:18 am

Ahh yes I think Harry (Rovebeetle) has nailed it, I was going to say the same thing myself last night but I wasn't sure, and knowing how diverse the weevil group is I thought I might be wrong.

I suspect this fella should look like this: http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... ght=weevil

and a closer up view I shot some time ago of a similar weevil, though this one does not include the whole snout: http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... ght=weevil

Iainp · Post by **Iainp** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 5:55 am

Wow Lauriek, superb images!

Yes that's him I'm sure; I saw something that looked exactly like this on the bin at the same time, but he scuttled away before I could get a photo, perhaps he was the one responsible for the injuries to this one

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:10 am

rovebeetle wrote:So what Rik seems to see here are definitely not antennae but the basal stump of the snout.

Excellent -- many thanks for the insight.

That possibility did not even occur to me.

I was locked into making sense of what I could see, with the implicit assumption that the subject was undamaged.

It's those things you don't know you don't know, that will get you into trouble!

--Rik

Harold Gough · Post by **Harold Gough** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:39 am

The shape and texture of the body and legs can only be of a weevil.

Harold

Unidentified bug with a cute nose

Unidentified bug with a cute nose

Re: Unidentified bug with a cute nose