Published via Ecency

Curculionidae is a family of snout beetles, commonly called snout beetles or true snout beetles. They are one of the largest animal families, with 6,800 genera and 83,000 described species worldwide. They are the sister group to the Brentidae family. [¹]

However, the one I photographed is the Snout Weevil, Rhynchoporus sp., known as the red palm weevil. Previously, it was commonly found attacking coconut plantations, but recently, it has been attacking oil palm plantations, causing damage and ultimately leading to plant death (100% yield loss). [²]

The body is reddish-brown or black, about the size of a walnut. The snout is long and tapers at the front and back. The larvae are about the size of a thumb, sometimes larger. The small, blackish-brown head has wrinkled skin. Larvae and adults feed on the pith of decaying sago palms. [³]

This beetle is also found on coconut, sugar palm, snake fruit, and kirai trees, hence the name coconut beetle. In some parts of Indonesia, sago beetle larvae are considered a delicacy.[1] The sago beetle is a pest of coconut palms. This insect has a five-stage life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The entire life cycle cannot occur on other trees; it must occur within the palm tree.[³]

This insect is a pest of most palm trees. Young plants infected at the base or growing point will develop holes due to this insect attack, causing the leaf sheaths to become damaged and drooping. [³]