''Cionus hortulanus'' is a species of

weevil Weevils are beetles belonging to the Taxonomic rank, superfamily Curculionoidea, known for their elongated snouts. They are usually small, less than in length, and Herbivore, herbivorous. Approximately 97,000 species of weevils are known. They b ...

s belonging to the family

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

, subfamily Curculioninae.

Etymology

The genus name ''Cionus'' derives from the Greek ''kíonos'', meaning ''column'', with reference to the shape of the snout. The Latin species name ''hortulanus'' means ''garden warden''.

Distribution and habitat

This species is present in most of Europe, in NW Africa, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, Iran, Siberia, Central Asia and India. These beetles mainly inhabit meadows and hedge rows.

Description

''Cionus hortulanus'' can reach a length of .Commanster
/ref> These tiny beetles have a short, oblong and convex body, a conical thorax and a long thin rostrum. Thorax and elytra are covered with grey scales. The basic body color is grey-brown, with one large velvety black spot in the middle of the elytra and a smaller one at the apex. The elytra bears four raised lines with a series of black markings. The antennae are reddish.

Biology

Adults of these beetles can be found from June to September. They feed on leaves of ''

Buddleja ''Buddleja'' (; ''Buddleia''; also historically given as ''Buddlea'') is a genus comprising over 140 species of flowering plants endemic to Asia, Africa, and the Americas. The generic name bestowed by Linnaeus posthumously honoured the Revere ...

'' and '' Verbascum'' species, while larvae feed on Water Figwort ('' Scrophularia auriculata''), Common Figwort (''

Scrophularia nodosa ''Scrophularia nodosa'' (also called figwort, woodland figwort, and common figwort) is a perennial herbaceous plant found in temperate regions of the Northern hemisphere except western North America. It grows in moist and cultivated waste groun ...

'') and Great Mullein ('' Verbascum thapsus'').Bullock, J.A., 1992 Host Plants of British Beetles: A List of Recorded Associations Females lay eggs on leaves of the host plants.

References

* * Curculionidae genera Curculioninae Beetles described in 1785 {{Curculioninae-stub