Insect · GBIF taxon 1171601
Sweet Potato Weevil
Cylas formicariusAlso known as Sweetpotato Weevil
Sweet potato weevils are slender, remarkably ant-like beetles renowned worldwide as the primary insect pest of sweet potato crops. Females chew small cavities into vines and tuberous storage roots to deposit individual eggs, sealing each puncture with a protective plug of fecal matter. As the legless larvae bore through the tubers, their feeding induces the plant to synthesize foul-tasting, toxic sesquiterpenes that render the entire crop unpalatable to humans and livestock.
Agricultural PestAnt MimicBeetle
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Sweet Potato Tubers
- Sweet Potato Vines
- Morning Glory Foliage
Predators
- Tropical Fire Ant
- Ground Beetles
- Orb-weaver Spiders
ThreatsInsecticide treatments, pheromone mass-trapping, and crop rotation
HabitatsAgricultural fields, cultivated vegetable gardens, and warm coastal dunes
Life span1 to 3 months
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyBrentidae
- SpeciesCylas formicarius
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Identification: Look for a smooth, reddish-orange thorax and legs contrasting with shiny, metallic blue elytra and head.
- Crop Protection: Inspect harvested tubers for dark surface punctures and spongy, discolored feeding tunnels.
Host Plant no rights reserved, uploaded by 葉子 · cc0
Host Plant (c) David George, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by David George · cc-by
Predator (c) Reynante Martinez, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Reynante Martinez · cc-by
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