Adult: 8mm.

Order Coleoptera/ Family Curculionidae, Subfamily Cleoninae  –  Ground Weevils

Distributed throughout low elevations in San Diego County, the flightless Wooly Ground Weevil is usually hidden in the detritus of various plants of the coastal sage scrub, but seems most common beneath Flat-topped Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum.  Because of this habit, it is seldom seen. And, as with all ground-dwelling, or epigeal species, they are extremely difficult to see if exposed or disturbed because of their habit of playing possum. In early spring the female burrows into the ground at the base of the plant and inserts her eggs into the root crown. The larvae bore into roots, and several other species have been destructive to crops.  Note: The genus Apleurus has replaced Dinocleus due to recent revisions of the family Curculionidae.