Sitona californius
(Fahraeus, 1840)
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Sitona californius: /sɪˈtoʊnə kælɪˈfɔːrniəs/
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Images
Distribution
Found in the western United States, including California, and extreme south-central British Columbia. Range extends inland through Idaho, northwest Utah, and northern Nevada.
Seasonality
Active from May to October.
Ecological Role
Recorded as for the Cerceris sextoides, a solitary wasp that paralyzes weevils to provision its nests.
Misconceptions
The name has often been misspelled as ' californicus' in scientific and popular sources.
More Details
Taxonomic Note
GBIF lists californius as a synonym of Sitones californius, though most sources use the Sitona.
Prey Record
Documented as one of two (along with Trigonoscuta pilosa) recorded as for Cerceris sextoides.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- Bug Eric: Wasp Wednesday: Cerceris sextoides
- Desmocerus californicus californius Archives - Entomology Today
- Sitona lineatus Archives - Entomology Today
- Clover Root Curculio: Historic Perspectives Guide Modern Management
- Sex Attraction Pheromone Improves Detection of a Threatened Beetle
- Complexity Untangled: For Plant Defenses, Pest Attack Order Matters

