Giant weevil - Giant weevil

An insect belonging to the family Curculionidae in the order Coleoptera of the class Insecta. It is widely distributed throughout Japan, the Korean Peninsula, China, Taiwan, and the tropical Orient. Its body length is 12-24 mm. Its body is black in color, but is covered with gray-brown scales, its upper flaps are dotted with small black spots, and its prothorax is densely covered with rough, knobby protuberances. The ends of the tibiae of its legs are bent inward like hooks. Adults appear from June to September and can be found in the sap of oak trees and other trees, and in fallen or dead trees of various kinds, including pine, cedar, oak, and Japanese oak. They lay eggs under the skin of weakened or fallen trees, and the larvae drill holes in the wood and feed. Adults hibernate in the soil for the winter.

[Takehiko Nakane]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

昆虫綱甲虫目オサゾウムシ科に属する昆虫。日本全土および朝鮮半島、中国、台湾、東洋熱帯域に広く分布する。体長12～24ミリメートル。体の地色は黒いが、灰褐色の鱗片(りんぺん)に覆われ、上ばねには黒色の小斑紋(はんもん)を散らし、前胸は粗大なこぶ状の隆起が密にある。肢(あし)の脛節(けいせつ)の末端は鉤(かぎ)状に内方に曲がる。成虫は6～9月に現れてクヌギなどの樹液や、マツ、スギ、カシ、ナラなど多種の倒木や枯れ木にみられ、衰弱した木や倒木などの皮下に産卵し、幼虫はそれらの材部に穴をあけて食害する。成虫は土中に潜って越冬する。

［中根猛彦］

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