Rape Winter Stem Weevil
Ceutorhynchus picitarsis
Identification
The adults are 2.5-4 mm long, metallic black with reddish/brown tips to the legs. The white larvae have brown heads, are legless, are 4-5 mm long and ‘C’ shaped.
Symptoms
The main shoots or whole plants can be killed by the larvae tunnelling and feeding in the stems. In the spring, at the beginning of stem extension, plants remain stunted and produce lateral shoots and the larvae can be found feeding in the stems when cut open.
