Weevils - Entomological Society of Canada
Weevils - Entomological Society of Canada
Weevils - Entomological Society of Canada
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Royston, Salmon Arm, Summerland, Trail' Trinity Valley, Vancouver,<br />
Veinon, Victoria, Walhachin, Wardner, Wellington, and Wjlliams Lake.<br />
Northwest Territories: (no site recorded). saskatchewan: Roche Percee.<br />
Map 29. Collection localities <strong>of</strong> Merhynchites wichhanti.<br />
Comments. Like M. bicolor, this species damages roses (ftoso<br />
species). There appears, however, to be a difference in ovipositional<br />
b-ehavior between the two species. Hoerner ( 1936) stated that females <strong>of</strong><br />
M. wichhami deposit eggs in developing rose buds and then puncture the<br />
stem, providing a dead or dyingbud for larval development. Parly larval<br />
stageJ probably feed on pollen. Hamilton (1985) reports that secondatrd<br />
third-instar larvae were found feeding on the anthers within the<br />
stunted and dead rosebuds. As stated previously, larvae <strong>of</strong> M. bicolor feed<br />
entirely in rose hips. Specimens <strong>of</strong> M. bicolor and M' wich,hami can be<br />
distinguished fairly easily when the eye character (see key) is at its<br />
extreme expression. Within the entire population, however, a number <strong>of</strong><br />
intermediate forms occur that are difficult to place in either <strong>of</strong> the two<br />
species. For example, S.D. Hicks collected 70 specimens from roses on<br />
3-1? June 1953, in Mission Flat, B.C. Of these specimens, 28 were<br />
clearly M. bicolor (strongly convex eyes), 17 were clearly M. wickhami<br />
(weakly convex eyes), and 25were difficult to place in either species. An<br />
analysis <strong>of</strong> eye width (dorsal view) showed that those specimens that<br />
were clearly M. wickhaml had eyes from 0.07 to 0.10 mm wide, whereas<br />
those that were clearly M. bicolor had eyes from 0.12 to 0.14 mm wide'<br />
The intermediate specimens had eyes that ranged slightly more or less<br />
than 0.10 mm wide. Considered as a whole population, the eye width<br />
varied more or less evenly from 0.07 to 0.14 mm, with no distinct breaks.<br />
other characters listed in the key could not be correlated with the above<br />
data.This is not the place to attempt a detailed analysis <strong>of</strong> the various<br />
character states <strong>of</strong>these species. The above examples are <strong>of</strong>fered so that<br />
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