Weevil, Giraffe
Description
Giraffe Weevil Lasirorhynchus barbicornus. Female giraffe weevil. Mottled colouring on body, antennae in the middle of the snout.
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The
bizarre-looking,
flightless
giraffe
weevil
is
one
of
the
largest
and
most
primitive
of
Taranaki's
beetles.
It
drifted
here
on
the
piece
of
Gondwana
that
is
now
New
Zealand.
Some
Māori
considered
the
uncommon
beetle,
shaped
liked
a
waka
(canoe),
to
be
the
guardian
of
their
vessels.
The male giraffe weevil is usually much longer than the female, and his antennae are situated near the end of the long rostrum, or beak. The female, who has to bore holes in trees to lay her eggs, has her feelers halfway down the rostum.
The larvae (grubs) live in a variety of native trees, including lacebark, pigeonwood, karaka and rimu.
The male giraffe weevil is usually much longer than the female, and his antennae are situated near the end of the long rostrum, or beak. The female, who has to bore holes in trees to lay her eggs, has her feelers halfway down the rostum.
The larvae (grubs) live in a variety of native trees, including lacebark, pigeonwood, karaka and rimu.
Accession number
A102.302
Collection type
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