Insect · GBIF taxon 4291745
Asian Oak Weevil
Cyrtepistomus castaneusAlso known as Asiatic Oak Weevil
Asiatic oak weevils are small, mottled grey-brown snout beetles with broad rostra that emerge in high numbers throughout mid to late summer. Adults consume canopy foliage from the leaf margins inward, leaving distinct ragged notches on oaks, maples, and chestnuts. Frequently drawn to artificial lighting at night, they often wander onto porch screens and into homes during peak adult flight periods.
BeetleHerbivoreIntroduced
Licensed reference(c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Oak leaves
- Red maple foliage
- Woody plant root hairs
Predators
- Insectivorous birds
- Ground beetles
- Jumping spiders
ThreatsInsecticidal treatments, prolonged ground freezes, and generalist insect predators
HabitatsDeciduous woodlands, oak-hickory forests, suburban parks, and gardens
Life spanApproximately 1 year
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderColeoptera
- FamilyCurculionidae
- GenusCyrtepistomus
- SpeciesCyrtepistomus castaneus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Harmless to humans and pets; safe to observe closely.
Responsible observation
- Night Lighting: Search around porch lights and lighted window screens on warm summer evenings.
- Leaf Margin Scanning: Check the edges of oak and maple sapling leaves during July and August for scalloped feeding damage.
- Gentle Handling: Let an adult walk onto your hand; it may tuck its legs and play dead if startled.
Host Plant no rights reserved · cc0
Host Plant no rights reserved, uploaded by mefisher · cc0
Ecological Peer Elke Freese / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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