Parent Bug vs Cabbage Seed Weevil

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Parent Bug Cabbage Seed Weevil
Scientific Name Elasmucha grisea Ceutorhynchus obstrictus
Order Hemiptera Coleoptera
Family Acanthosomatidae Curculionidae
Size 6-9 mm 2.5-3 mm
Habitat Heathland Farmland
Diet Seed Feeders Seed Feeders
Regions Europe, Northern Asia Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Parent Bug

A birch-feeding shieldbug remarkable for its extended maternal care behavior. Females stand guard over their egg clusters and young nymphs for weeks, shielding them with their body.

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Did You Know?

Mothers physically shield their eggs and nymphs from parasitoid wasps by spreading their body like an umbrella over them.

Cabbage Seed Weevil

A small grey weevil that is a major pest of oilseed rape. Larvae feed inside seed pods, consuming developing seeds. Causes significant economic losses across Europe.

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Did You Know?

Entry holes made by egg-laying females also allow the larvae of the brassica pod midge to enter, compounding damage.