Large pine weevil

Large pine weevil is a snout beetle that usually is a bit over one centimeter long. Its dark wing cases have transverse stripes formed of small yellow hair. Large pine weevil has a long snout where its antennae are attached.

Large pine weevil thrives in clear-cut areas and seedling stands of coniferous forests. The smell of resin from fresh stumps and logging residues attracts it. Large pine weevil is distributed throughout the whole Europe and Asia.

In the Nordic countries large pine weevil is the most significant pest insect of seedling stands. It feeds on the bark and phloem of spruce and pine seedlings by nibbling patches on their base. Seedlings die if the patches go around their stem. Large pine weevils have a particular appetite for planted seedlings. The damage is prevented by treating seedlings with pesticides and by soil preparation, because the species dislikes to enter bare mineral soil. In the age of six years seedlings are usually safe from the Large pine weevil.