Hamiltonius (=Apoderus) trinotatus (Faust)

Family. Initially, the species used to be classified within the large Curculionidae family. Currently, it is included in the Attelabidae family.

Order. Coleoptera

Common name. Leaf-rolling weevil.

Distribution. In Indonesia, the species is found in Java and Sumatera.

Host plants. According to Kalshoven (1956), bungur (Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers.), Glochidion sp., huni peucang (Antidesma tetrandrum Blume) are the the host plants of H. trinotatus in the teak forests; while kolowe (Chydenanthus excelsa Blume), anyang-anyang (Elaeocarpus grandiflora Sm.), tuba (Derris sp.), and bungur (Lagerstroemia ovalifola Teijsm. & Binn.) in the village plantations, parks etc.

Description and Biology. The beetle is brown, about 6 mm long, and marked by yellow longitudinal stripes on the base of the elytra (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Adult of Hamiltonius trinotatus (Photo: © Aunu Rauf)

The female weevils construct leaf rolls from intact young leaves (Figure 2), in which one or two eggs are laid. The larva develops by feeding on the decaying and decayed leaf tissues in the interior parts of the rolls, and they pupate within the rolls too.

Figure 2. Leaf roll on Syzygium cumini made by Hamiltonius trinotatus (Photo: © Aunu Rauf)

The newly emerged weevils soon start to feed on the young leaves which are perforated then in the manner shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Leaf of Syzygium cumini with feeding holes (Photo: © Aunu Rauf)

Nature of damage. This insect rarely causes economic damage.

Remarks. I found the weevil H. trinotatus as well as its leaf roll on jamblang (Syzygium cumini L.) and jambu air semarang (Syzygium samarangense (Blume) Merr. & Perry) grown in the front yard of my house. Another leaf-rolling weevil species found in the front yard was Strigapoderus javanicus.

Reference

Kalshoven LGE. 1956. Notes on the habits and ecology of Indonesian forest insects of minor importance: III Curculionidae. Entomologische Berichten 16: 77-88.

Author: Aunu Rauf
Citation: https://indoagriinsecta.blogspot.com/2024/01/hamiltonius-trinotatus.html