Biology of the orchid weevil, Orchidophilus aterrimus (Waterhouse)

The orchid weevil, Orchidophilus aterrimus (Waterhouse), went through egg, five larval instars, pupa and adult stages in 64.72 days on Dendrobium leaves and 81.50 days on whole plants. These developmental rates are faster than those reported in Hawaii. Its small oval eggs were laid singly and inserted on the feeding sites of adult weevil either on the stem, leaves or flowers. Newly hatched larva was translucent, later became white to yellowish white and retained this color during the rest of its larval development. The wrinkled legless larva began feeding upon hatching and soon tunneled into the plant. Mature larvae are 5.50 - 8.00 mm (x = 6.63 ± 0.64) long and 1.50 – 2.25 mm (x = 1.78 ± 0.26) wide. The pupa is exarate, with well-developed legs and prominent outline of the wings and antennae. Newly emerged adults remained in the pupal cell and did not feed for at least ten days. They were light to dark brown and became totally black in about seven days. White larva bones through the stem, adult feeds on flowers and tender tissues. Male and female adults are 4.25 and 1.97 mm long, and 4.43 and 2.03 mm wide, respectively