Strawberry blossom weevil

Anthonomus rubi is a weevil that feeds on members of the Rosaceae and is an important pest ofstrawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne) and raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.). This insect is a particularly problematic pest of strawberry in Europe, in some cases responsible for up to 80% loss of the berry crop. Adults feed on strawberry foliage, and females lay eggs inside unopened flower buds (one egg per bud) before partially or totally severing the stalk; larvae develop inside the severed buds, feeding on the wilting tissue.
Adult: 2 to 4 mm long, dull black covered with a fine grey pubescence. Rostrum long and slightly curved. Antennae slender, inserted in the terminal third of the rostrum. Pronotum white, with a fine and very dense punctuation. Elytra short, with marked stripes.
- Egg: white, smooth, shiny, slighlty oval, 0.50 x 0.35 mm.
- Larva: 3.0 to 3.5 mm long, curved, white; head brown.