Copper weevil

The copper weevil (Haplorhynchites aeneus) is a member of the Attelabidae family, known for its distinct metallic luster and destructive impact on fruit crops. It is widely recognized as a significant pest in temperate orchards, where it can cause localized but substantial damage to emerging plant tissues during the early spring season.

This beetle primarily affects fruit trees such as apples, pears, plums, and cherries. The adult weevils are particularly active during the budding stage, when they pierce developing buds and shoots. This feeding activity can stunt tree growth and lead to the loss of potential fruiting wood if the infestation level is high enough to damage the apical meristems.

The biology of Haplorhynchites aeneus involves overwintering as adults in the soil. Once temperatures rise in the spring, they emerge and migrate to the canopy. Females later deposit eggs into the fruit buds or young fruitlets, where the developing larvae consume the plant tissue, eventually leading to fruit drop or deformity.

Economic damage is twofold: direct feeding damage by adults on buds and leaves, and fruit loss caused by larval development within the crop. In commercial orchards, this can lead to irregular fruit set and reduced yields, making management critical during the critical phenological stages of the host plants.

Effective management strategies require a combination of monitoring and intervention practices:

• Implementing regular soil cultivation in early autumn and spring to disturb overwintering sites.
• Using sticky bands on tree trunks if adults are observed migrating upward.
• Applying targeted insecticide sprays during the pre-blossom and post-blossom periods to reduce adult populations.
• Promptly gathering and destroying fallen fruitlets to eliminate larvae before they enter the soil for pupation.