Orchid weevil (Orchidophilus aterrimus)

Distribution
Orchid weevils are reported to be present in Hawaii, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Java, Australia, Indonesia, Japan and until recently Cook Islands. There have also been unconfirmed reports of orchid weevils in Fiji. This list may not be complete.

Hosts
Orchid weevil larvae and adults feed on orchid flowers, stems, leaves and exposed roots. Recorded hosts of the pest are orchids of the genera Dendrobium, Vanda, Phalaenopsis, Renanthera, Angraecum, Saccolobium, Cymbidium, Spathoglottis, Cattleya, Coelogyne and Paphiopedilum.

Breeding
Larval development and pupation takes place inside the stem. Total development from egg to adult takes about 5 months and the adults have a life span of 9 to 12 months. The adult weevil is black, up to 6mm in length with the long, curved snout typical of weevils.

Damage
The feeding damage caused by adult weevils on stems, leaves and flowers is quite obvious. Adults eat out small holes in leaves and pseudobulbs to deposit eggs. The larvae that hatch from the eggs bore into the tissues, which may then become discolored. After pupating the emerging adult leaves a hole. Damaged plants and especially flowers are not marketable. The damage caused by the larvae developing inside the orchid can or pseudobulb may not kill the plant, but bulbs often stop their growth and fail to produce flowers.