About Eucryptorrhynchus brandti
Eucryptorrhynchus brandti, commonly called the snout weevil, is an insect that belongs to the weevil family. In its native range of China, this weevil causes substantial damage to its only known host, the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima). Because of this feeding behavior, the weevil is currently being studied for use as a biological control agent for tree of heaven in areas where this tree species is non-native. One key feature that makes it a potential control agent is that it acts as a vector for Verticillium nonalfalfae, a soilborne fungus that causes the disease verticillium wilt. This weevil species produces one new generation per year, and both its larvae and adult individuals overwinter. Adult Eucryptorrhynchus brandti feed on the leaves, buds, and petioles of their host. Larvae develop under the bark of the host tree, boring through tissue and feeding as they grow. Once development is complete, adult weevils emerge through round exit holes that measure 4 millimeters in diameter.
