Identification keys of storage pest: Rice weevil- #Indiafoldscopephase 1

  • Soumitra Banerjee

Assumed pest: Rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae)

Rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) is an important pest of stored rice grain. Infestation starts from the field itself and is thus, a primary stored grain pest. Females lay 2-6 eggs per day and up to 300 over their lifetime.

Morphological characteristics ( as observed under foldscope)

  1. Beak is present and ridge lines are present on pronotum(Fig 1)
  2. Adults are around 2 mm long with a long snout and the body colour appears to be brown/black
  3.  Antennae  is geniculate with small clubs(Fig 2)
  4. The elytra have deep lines (striae) and coarse punctures. Four orange/red spots are arranged in a cross on the elytra( Fig 3)
  5. The end of the tibial segment of hind leg bears a distinctive apical hook and tarsus of hind leg is with five segments

Fig. 1: Beak of rice weevil under foldscope

                                                                           

Fig. 2: Antenna of rice weevil under foldscope

                            

Fig. 3: Elytra of rice weevil under foldscope

                                         

Fig. 4: Hind leg  of rice weevil under foldscope

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