Myllocerus discolor

This small beetle is about 6 to 7 mm in length. Adult weevil is ferruginous brown in color. There is a white spot on the elytra and black mottling. It is characterized by the rostrum little broader at apex. Elytra broad with coarsely punctate striae. In pronotum, there is a central pale grey stripe and a short basal stripe laterally. Eggs are ovoid, and light yellow in color. Grub is small, apodous and distinctly curved. Grub is pale white in color. Final grub is about 7 to 8 mm in length. Head chitinized and testaceous. Mandibles well developed and obtusely toothed. Mandibles contiguous to the labium. Thoracic segments are well developed than abdominal segments. Pupa exarate, elongate and bilaterally symmetrical. Pupa is brown in color and 6 to 7 mm in length. Pupal body wall is white which later turns to light brown. ==Biology==

Adults are abundant during summer. During summer, adult female lays eggs in the soil. It lays about 360 eggs over a period of 24 days. Eggs hatch in 3 to 5 days. Grub period is about 1 to 2 months. Final grub starts pupation in soil inside earthen cells. Pupal period is about 7 to 10 days. Usual life cycle of the beetle is about 6 to 8 weeks. Therefore, it completes 3 to 4 generations in a year. Adult period is about 4 to 5 months in the winter. Grubs are known to feed on roots of teak seedlings and sunflower leaves. After the attack, root becomes hollow up to 30 to 40 mm from entry point. Injured seedlings finally died. When disturbed, adult shows a posture of "pretending dead", where the legs and antennae folded close to the body and drops to the ground. Most common control method is applying chlorinated hydrocarbons. == References ==