Pseudapion rufirostre

Pseudapion rufirostre

Description

Size 2.1 to 2.8 mm. Body black with a distinct metallic green lustre antennae and legs are mostly pale orange-yellow. The rostrum is long and curved; in the female as long as the head and pronotum combined and entirely dark metallic, in the male as long as the pronotum and pale orange in the apical half or two-thirds. Pseudapion rufirostre is distinctive from the other Mallow Weevils by having pale orange legs. The rostrum on males is also the same colour, but almost black on females. 

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

Unless identified by a recognised expert, photographic evidence is required and the specimen should be examined with a microscope. In the comments box, state the key or ID method used. Note the beetle's size and describe the identifying characters. Also note the host plant you found the specimen on. It is advisable to retain the specimen in case further checks are needed.

Habitat

Found on Mallows growing on waste ground or roadside verges etc.

When to see it

Late April to August.

UK Status

In the UK it is locally frequent in England north to Nottingham and mostly coastal in the West Country and Wales. It appears to be absent from Scotland.

VC55 Status

Not well recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland, but targeted recording effort focusing on Mallow may show it to be more common than records indicate.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

All NatureSpot records