Cockleburs are a plant with spiky flowers, and this weevil, a type of beetle, feeds on them as well as more well-known plants like sunflowers and ragweed. It chews through stem tissue, leaving behind brown, dry-looking patches. The red weevil has some variation in how large the black dots and middle dash appear. All of them are long-bodied and have a curved, black 'snout', a feature shared by many weevils.
This species is not known to be a significant threat to the plant it feeds on, and generally leaves only a few blemishes. It is a shy weevil and will attempt to hide under foliage or move to the opposite side of the stem to avoid an observer.©BeetleIdentification.org
The Cocklebur Weevil is typically 0.1 inches to 0.3 inches (5mm to 8mm) in size and has the following descriptors / identifiers: black oval on red back; black dots; bottom half black; flying; sunflower; long nose; snout; long.
It has a typical diet of the following: cocklebur; sunflower; ragweed.
Territorial Area Map (Visual Reference Guide)
The map below showcases (in blue) the states and territories of North America where the Cocklebur Weevil may be found (but is not limited to). This sort of data can be useful in seeing concentrations of a particular species over the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. Some species are naturally confined by environment, weather, mating habits, food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most, or all, of North America.
