Alice Springs Desert Park
ASDP InsectsAmegilla chlorocyanea Bee Banksia Moth – Caterpillar Bee Fly (Australiphthiria sp) Bee Fly (Ligyra cingulata) Braunsapis sp Bush Cockroach (Ellipsidion humarale) Caper White Butterfly Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp sthenelus) Crusader Bug (Mictis profana) Day Flying Moth Exoneurella eremophila Bee Ground Shield Bug Heliotrope Moth (Utetheisa pulchelloides) Katydid (Taeniomenae) Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Mating Lasioglossum (Homalictus) Opisthopsis sp Potter Wasp Processionary Caterpillar Snout Beetle (Lixus) Torymus Chalcid Wasp Transverse Ladybird
Alice Springs Desert ParkFauna Flora Nature Theatre Nocturnal House
The weevil pictured here is from the genus Lixus, family Curculionidae . This family are commonly called True Weevils or Snout Beetles. Here in Alice Springs they have been called Wattle Pigs, although this is also the common name for another genus Leptopius, subfamily Entiminae.
Within this group is the genus Lixus, which has about 950 described species.
The adult weevil have the elongation of the head to form a rostrum and modified and reduced mouth parts. Their antennae are usually clubbed and elbowed. All species in this genus are plant feeders.
This weevil pictured here feed on the flowers of various Acacias, so not sure what it is doing on the Poached Egg Daisy (Polycalymma stuartii), unless it was supping on the nectar in the flower.
The grubs are wood-borers. They’re usually in the roots or the bottom of the stem. You can eat them like witchetty grubs.
Source: Alice Springs Desert Park signage
Arrernte people use the word ‘arrentye’ to refer to a range of creepy crawlies. It literally means ‘devil’.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Coleoptera
- Suborder: Polyphaga
- Superfamily: Curculionoidea
- Family: Curculionidae
- Subfamily: Molytinae
- Tribe: Lixini
- Genus: Lixus
- Species:
- Lixus albolineatus Lea, 1899
- Lixus breweri Pascoe, 1874
- Lixus cardui Olivier, 1807
- Lixus immundus Boheman, 1859
- Lixus imponderosus Lea, 1911
- Lixus linearis Olivier, 1807
- Lixus mastersii Pascoe, 1874
- Lixus tasmanicus Germar, 1848
Footnote & References
- Many thanks for ID to Tony Eales, member of Australasian Beetles Only, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1180404322409639
- Many thanks for ID to Andrew Parker, member of NT Field Naturalists’ Club Inc, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/ntfieldnaturalistsclub/
- Lixus Fabricius, 1801, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/df1ad94e-0ea3-4f23-97c6-c04d13fc0087
- Genus Lixus, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/71157-Lixus
- Genus Lixus, ausemade, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/189313196
- All Weevil (Curculionoidea) sightings, NatureMapr, https://canberra.naturemapr.org/categories/239
ASDP InsectsAmegilla chlorocyanea Bee Banksia Moth – Caterpillar Bee Fly (Australiphthiria sp) Bee Fly (Ligyra cingulata) Braunsapis sp Bush Cockroach (Ellipsidion humarale) Caper White Butterfly Chequered Swallowtail (Papilio demoleus ssp sthenelus) Crusader Bug (Mictis profana) Day Flying Moth Exoneurella eremophila Bee Ground Shield Bug Heliotrope Moth (Utetheisa pulchelloides) Katydid (Taeniomenae) Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Mating Lasioglossum (Homalictus) Opisthopsis sp Potter Wasp Processionary Caterpillar Snout Beetle (Lixus) Torymus Chalcid Wasp Transverse Ladybird
ASDP FaunaASDP Arachnida ASDP Birds ASDP Insects ASDP Reptiles Dingo Ghost Bat Greater Bilby Numbat Red Kangaroo Short-beaked Echidna Spinifex Hopping Mouse Thorny Devil Western Quoll
Alice Springs Desert ParkFauna Flora Nature Theatre Nocturnal House