# Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil (*Larinus minutus*) The Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil is a tiny bug that loves to munch on knapweed flowers. It has a long snout and is usually brown or gray, blending in with its surroundings. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Larinus_minutus_389245595.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ben Keen, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Larinus_minutus_389245595.jpg) ## Appearance The Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil is a small, oval-bodied insect, typically dark brown to black, often covered in fine greyish scales giving it a dusty appearance. It has a prominent, curved snout called a rostrum, which visually distinguishes it from many other small beetles. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Curculionidae - **Genus:** Larinus ## Interesting facts - A female weevil lays all her eggs individually inside flower heads. - It helps control knapweed, an invasive plant, by eating its seeds! - Its larvae are legless grubs that live secretly inside plant seeds! - This tiny insect can play dead by freezing perfectly still when threatened. ## Special abilities - **Seed Seeker Snout:** Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil can bore into plant tissue with its strong rostrum to lay eggs and feed on seeds. - **Camouflage Coat:** Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil has dusty scales that help them blend perfectly with knapweed plants, hiding from predators. - **Tough Shell:** Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil has a hard, protective exoskeleton that helps them resist attacks from small predators. ## Measurements & details - **Size:** 3-5 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-200 days - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults and larvae both munch on parts of knapweed flowers and seeds, helping to manage the plant. - **Age differences:** Larvae feed exclusively on seeds within the flower head, while adults consume pollen and flower tissue. - **Primary Foods:** Lesser knapweed seeds, Lesser knapweed pollen, Lesser knapweed flower tissue - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Lesser Knapweed (*Centaurea nigra*) — Adults and larvae feed on its seeds and flowers. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Blue Tit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-blue-tit) (*Cyanistes caeruleus*) — Small birds forage for weevils on plants. - **Parasitizes:** Braconid Wasp (*Bracon intercessor*) — Its larvae develop inside the weevil's larvae. - **Eaten by:** Garden Cross Spider (*Araneus diadematus*) — Weevils can be caught in spider webs. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low It's best to look at bugs from a distance and not touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How big is Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil? 3-5 mm ### How long does Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil live? 30-200 days ### What does Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil eat? Adults and larvae both munch on parts of knapweed flowers and seeds, helping to manage the plant. ### Where is Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil usually found? Grasslands ### How does Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil have? 6 ## Where to spot - [Johnstone Creek Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/johnstone-creek-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Lesser Knapweed Flower Weevil Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lesser-knapweed-flower-weevil)