Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus) lives in temperate forests across Europe and Asia. It feeds on nettle plant leaves.
Fascinating facts about the Nettle Weevil
- Measuring only 7-9 mm, this weevil is slender and elongate. Its elytra are cloaked in bright metallic green scales with patches of gold, blue and copper.
- The larval stage can reach up to 8 mm in length, appearing creamy white with a contrasting dark head. These larvae develop hidden in the soil, where they feed on the roots of their host plants, and the adults later move onto the foliage above ground.
- The nettle weevil is closely linked to nettles (Urtica dioica) and meadow sweet (Filipendula ulmaria), where it spends most of its adult life feeding on leaves and stems. It can also become a pest of strawberries, occasionally moving onto cultivated crops when host plants are abundant.
- Larvae develop hidden in the soil where they feed on the roots of their host plants and can reach up to 8 mm in length, appearing creamy white with a dark head. When development is complete, the adults emerge to live on the leaves and stems above ground, feeding on nettles and meadow sweet.
- Phyllobius pomaceus belongs to the subgenus Metaphyllobius, a taxonomic grouping within the short-nosed weevils. It is commonly called the nettle weevil, a name that reflects its close association with nettles.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeEurope and Asia
HabitatTemperate forests
DietNettle plant leaves
About the Nettle Weevil
In the lush undergrowth of woodland edges, the nettle weevil navigates its domain with deliberate intent, its iridescent elytra glimmering like polished onyx as it moves with a quiet purpose. With each meticulous step, it surveys the tapestry of foliage, seeking the tender shoots of its namesake plant, the stinging nettle, upon which it will lay its eggs and secure the next generation. As it weaves through the intricate network of stems and leaves, the nettle weevil embodies a masterclass in understated elegance, its very existence a testament to the intricate web of relationships that underpins the natural world.
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