There are only a selected group of insects that can withstand the toxicity of milkweed plants – about 11 species. The milkweed stem weevil is perhaps the more obscure of these insects, in part because it is small and it is not brightly colored as other milkweed insects are. Stem weevils however are one of the first herbivores to attack the plants in the spring, which might have important consequences for plant growth and the type of insects that will use and colonize the plant later in the summer.
We need a better understanding of the abundance and distribution of these weevils, as well as the type of damage they produce in milkweed patches. If you know of a milkweed patch, please consider helping me collect data on stem weevils through this CitSci.orgproject.
You can also send pictures and information directly to myemail.
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