A to Z of Pests

Bamboo Weevil

Dinoderus minutus

Appearance

• Dark brown body, plump, almost cylindrical, 2 to 3.7 mm in length.
• Antennae broaden at the tip, with the last 3 segments considerably larger and ending in well-defined antenna clubs.
• The humped thorax conceals the head and has teeth-like indentations in its rounded front. Two large dimples at the back of the thorax.
• Elytra (wing cases) are covered with small pits and bristly hairs.

Lifecycle

• The female lays 27–35 eggs into the food substrate, larvae hatch and bore into the plant.
• Larva undergoes up to 4 development phases and pupates inside the plant.
• The lifecycle can be as short as 60 days in good conditions (35 °C, 75% relative humidity) leading to multiple generations per year.

Habits

• Larva feeds on bamboo cane, but the weevil is also known to breed on cassava root.
• Larva makes tubular passages along plant fibres and emerges leaving a perfectly round hole.
• This species from East Asia is brought in with cargo on ships (e.g. tapioca products), wooden packaging and even wooden musical instruments.