RICE WEEVIL

Rice Weevil – Sitophilus oryzae (Linnaeus).  This weevil is reddish brown in color with four light red or yellow spots on the back.  It is widely distributed due to grain and food distribution.  It will infest grain both in the field and in a storage environment.  The female chews a small hole in the whole grain, lays a single egg per grain, then seals the hole.  The resulting larva feeds on the inside of the grain before emerging as an adult beetle by chewing an exit hole in the grain.  By the time the exit holes are beginning to be noticed in the grains, infestation of the product may be significant rendering the grain unfit for food.  Getting rid of all infested food items is critical to control.