NATURAL HISTORY OF PHEL YPERA DISTIGMA (BOHEMAN), CURCULIONIDAE, A COSTA RICAN DEFOLIATOR OF GUAZUMA ULMIFOLIA LAM. (STERCULIACEAE)

Abstract

The aposematic larvae of the medium-sized brown weevil Phelypera distigma feed exclusively on the new foliage of the sterculiaceous tree Guazuma ulmifolia in the deciduous forest Pacific coastal lowlands of Costa Rica. It has only one generation per year and appears to ignore new foliage that appears after the new adults appear after a developmental cycle of about a month. Three hypotheses are proposed as to why this apparent food source is ignored.