Rhinoncomimus

Terrestrial; associated with Polygonaceae host plants, particularly Persicaria and Polygonum species. R. latipes occupies edge habitats and shows higher densities in sun-exposed versus shaded conditions.

Native range: Eastern Asia (China, including Yunnan Province; Japan). Introduced range: North America (eastern United States), where R. latipes has been released for biological control of mile-a-minute weed.

Herbivorous; feeding on Polygonaceae. R. latipes feeds primarily on Persicaria perfoliata (mile-a-minute weed). R. klapperichi has been recorded on Polygonum hydropiper.

• Persicaria perfoliata - primary host (R. latipes)target host for biological control; mile-a-minute weed
• Polygonum hydropiper - hostrecorded for R. klapperichi, the type species of the genus
• Native North American Persicaria species - minimal non-target feedingobserved in field studies with R. latipes; significantly lower preference than target host

R. latipes: eggs laid on leaves and stems of host plant; larvae bore into stems, stunting growth and delaying seed production.

R. latipes exhibits positive phototaxis and two-phase host-finding behavior: initial dispersal controlled primarily by phototaxis, with later stages jointly influenced by host cues and light conditions. Adults show preferential colonization of edge habitats and higher activity in sun versus shade. Strong host fidelity demonstrated in field conditions.

R. latipes serves as a biological control agent for invasive Persicaria perfoliata in North America, reducing weed populations with demonstrated host-specificity and low risk to native flora.

R. latipes has been intentionally introduced to the eastern United States as a biocontrol agent for mile-a-minute weed, with releases documented in New York and other states.

• Other Ceutorhynchinae weevilsminute seed weevils with similar morphology; Rhinoncomimus distinguished by genus-level characters described in taxonomic revisions
• Other Rhinoncomimus specieseight described species within genus require specialist identification using keys and habitus illustrations; R. rubripes possibly junior synonym of R. niger

• Curculionidae
• Ceutorhynchinae
• biological control
• invasive species management
• Polygonaceae
• Persicaria
• minute seed weevil
• Asia
• North America
• phototaxis
• host specificity

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• Catalogue of Life
• Rhinoncomimus latipes Archives - Entomology Today
• NY to Unleash Asian Weevils to Fight Invasive Vines
• Phototaxis, Host Cues, and Host-Plant Finding in a Monophagous Weevil, Rhinoncomimus latipes
• Field host-specificity of the mile-a-minute weevil, Rhinoncomimus latipes Korotyaev (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
• Preferential Edge Habitat Colonization by a Specialist Weevil, <I>Rhinoncomimus latipes</I> (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
• Taxonomic Review of the Genus Rhinoncomimus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Ceutorhynchinae) with description of a new species from Yunnan, China
• Effects ofRhinoncomimus latipeson the growth and reproduction ofPersicaria perfoliata,an invasive plant in North America
• Host specificity of the Asian weevil, Rhinoncomimus latipes Korotyaev (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a potential biological control agent of mile-a-minute weed, Polygonum perfoliatum L. (Polygonales: Polygonaceae)
• Feeding and Oviposition Behavior ofRhinoncomimus latipesKorotyaev (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Its Predicted Effectiveness as a Biological Control Agent forPolygonum perfoliatumL. (Polygonales: Polygonaceae)