Kingdom Animalia Family Curculionidae Tribe Ceutorhynchini Scientific name Trichosirocalus horridus Rank Species | Class Insecta Subfamily Baridinae Genus Trichosirocalus Phylum Arthropoda Order Beetle | |
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Similar Rhinocyllus conicus, Beetle, Ceutorhynchini, Cirsium altissimum, Larinus planus | ||
Colorado weevil trichosirocalus horridus
Trichosirocalus horridus is a species of true weevil, native to Europe. It is a biological pest control agent that was introduced into the United States in 1974 to control exotic thistles, especially in the Cirsium and Carduus genera.
Contents
Life history
T. horridus feeds on the rosettes of thistles, with the larvae causing most damage to the plant.
Nontarget impacts
In 2004, T. horridus was observed feeding on the native thistle Cirsium altissimum L. in Nebraska. The weevil was observed on the native thistle at about the same rate as the targeted invasive thistle (Cirsium vulgare). T. horridus has also been observed feeding on 5 native Cirsium species in Tennessee.
References
Trichosirocalus horridus Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA