Probable Otiorhynchus weevil

[Gatekeeper]

I found this weevil yesterday in grassland at Portland Bill, Dorset. I think it is probably a Otiorhynchus species, but I'm unsure which. It resembles Otiorhynchus ovatus, but the legs seem a lot redder than that species. The closest species to it that I can find is Otiorhynchus tenebricosus, but I'm not sure that that species even occurs in the UK. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

[Jason Green]

Morning GC,

That's the thing with the 'Net, it seems to have a limited 'pool' of possibilities, or else it's making you think the UK has a new species! There is a key by the Royal Entomologist Society for True Weevils - that'll tell you what's needed to identify them - some couplets need specimens/microscopes, others may not.

This one looks like it could be distinctive and so you should get an ID. In the mean-time have a look at http://www.thewcg.org.uk/thumbnails/Curculionoidea.htm as this has a good number of reliably-named specimens.

Take care,

Jason

[Gatekeeper]

Thanks for that, Jason. It seems to confirm it's an Otiorhynchus species and the example shown for ovatus is quite different from my specimen.

[Dogghound]

Hi Gatekeeper its Otiorhynchus niger .

[Gatekeeper]

Brill, wasn't sure whether niger occurred here either, but it certainly matches my specimen. Thanks Dogghound