Bug of the Week Vol.3- Giraffe Weevil

16 April 2024

Introducing Madagascar’s most fashionable bug with a neck that could be used as a protractor. Unfortunately it was not featured in the 2005 DreamWorks film, though I believe they would have made a fantastic cameo.

Physical Description

Giraffe weevil’s, formally known as Trachelophorus giraffa, are approximately 20-30mm in length. They have a distinctly black body with bright red wings, and a looooooong neck, hence its given name. Male giraffe weevils have necks so long that they are almost half their entire body length, and are 2-3 times longer than female giraffe weevil necks. There are a multitude of uses for these disproportionate necks, including attracting mates, fighting other male weevils, obtaining food and more.

Life Cycle

Giraffe weevil’s live for approximately 1 year, spending their lifespan on trees in Madagascar where they also feed on leaves. In order to mate, male weevils fight each other by hitting their necks against one other in order to knock their opponent off a leaf. The victor then mates with the single female, who lays one egg in a leaf. Each female giraffe weevil has a distinct way of protecting her egg within a leaf, which she folds in half and curls at the bottom to create a nest. Once it is folded to her satisfaction, she snips the leaf so it falls to the forest floor. The larva feeds on the leaf until it is strong enough to leave.

I highly recommend watching this BBC video to see how these guys fight. If I were a bug, I’d pay for front row seats at an arena to watch a battle of the necks.

Location

These weevils are only found in forests in Madagascar, making them endemic. They primarily live on a type of tree known as Dichaetanthera arborea.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, there has been a limited amount of research done on this species, but we do know that they are completely harmless to humans as they do not bite or sting. I think that’s very considerate of them, and we should spend more time around them.