Giraffe Weevil (Trachelophorus giraffa)
Habitat: Madagascar
The common name for this rather conspicuous creature is the Giraffe Weevil (Trachelophorus giraffa), and I think it’s pretty obvious as to why. These weevils are sexually dimorphic, with the males having a long neck typically being 2 to 3 times the length of that of the female’s. The elongated neck isn’t used for foraging like regular giraffes, but instead to assist in nest building and fighting. Males will face off (literally) to secure their chance at winning a mate. Watch the BBC clip below to see exactly what I mean:
Bird Poop Weevil (Mesalcidodes trifidus)
Habitat: China, Japan
Now at first glance, this weevil might just look like your average black-and-white bug. However, from far away you can see that it’s cleverly colored that way to mimic, well, bird poop. You might think to yourself, “Eww, why would you want to look like poop?” Well, if you thought that then you’re having the exact reaction the Bird Poop Weevil (Mesalcidodes trifidus) wants you to have. To complete it’s camouflage act, the weevil will hold tight to grass and then drop off when it comes into contact with something. It wants to come off as unappetizing as possible – so what better way to pull that off than to look like feces! Yay!
Painted Weevil (Eurhinus magnificus)
Habitat: Costa Rica, South Florida
This weevil is the Painted Weevil (Eurhinus magnificus), a stunning species of insect that sports a metallic emerald, gold, copper and ruby exoskeleton that makes it look like a tiny jewel when spotted in the grass. And when I say tiny, I mean tiny: this little creature only grows to 5.66 mm by 3.71 mm as an adult. Now, that’s small!
Originally these magnificent weevils were only found in South America but somehow or another they were brought over to Florida where a population of the metallic bugs is now thriving in the southern part of the state. At this point in time, the weevil hasn’t been shown to be a pest to the host plants on which it feeds, namely Cissus verticillata. However, research is still needed to determine if the introduction of this species will result in any damage to the native plants of the area.
Long-snouted Weevil (Hammatostylus sp.)
Habitat: South America; Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador
I had a hard time coming up with any information on this bizarre weevil aside from its name: the Long-snouted Weevil (Hammatostylus sp.). I chose to add this guy to the list because of its \impressive snout-to-body ratio coupled with the fact that it has these random yellow hairs sprouting up all over its body. It reminded me of a malformed Chia Pet or something.
Eupholus schoenherri
Habitat: New Guinea
There’s no common name given to this magnificent blue fellow, so I’m going to call it the Smurf Weevil (Eupholus schoenherri) due to its bright blue hue. These guys reach a maximum length of anywhere from 25–31 millimetres (0.98–1.22 in). They’re popular with insect collectors who value the animal’s variable coloration which ranges from a metallic blue-green to a darker blue.
Hose-nose Cycad Weevil (Antliarhis zamiae)
Habitat: South Africa
The nosiest of all the weevils, this is the Hose-nose Weevil (Antliarhis zamiae). Females have a looooong snout that can be up to 3 times as long as its body (which only reaches around 9mm in length). These weevils are found on Encephalartos cycads and females will actually drill through the cycad cone-scales to reach the seeds, where they proceed to lay batches of eggs. The larvae then feed on and hollow out the inside of the seed, within which they pupate.
Polka Dotted Clown Weevil (Pachyrrhynchus orbifer)
Habitat: Philippines
Last but certainly not least on our list of incredible weevils is the Polka Dotted Clown Weevil (Pachyrrhynchus orbifer). This is one of the most spectacular weevils in the world, with its exoskeleton decorated in iridescent scales that give it the appearance of being covered in glitter.
It’s highly sought after by collectors and photographers (for obvious reasons) but seems to be rather rare, or at least uncommon, in its habitat based on the lack of info on the web. Not only is this one of the most breathtaking weevils I’ve ever seen, but it’s one of the most impressive bugs in general. Words barely do this one justice!
Well, I hope after this list I’ve made a beweever out of you when it comes to understanding just how incredible weevils can be!
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