billbug

billbug
/bil"bug'/, n.
any of several weevils, esp. of the genera Calendra and Sitophilus, that feed on various grasses.
[1860-65, Amer.; BILL2 + BUG1]

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insect
 any stout-bodied beetle of the family Curculionidae (insect order Coleoptera) that has a short snout and body length up to 5 cm (2 inches). Some (e.g., Rhynchophorus) are found mainly in the tropics, boring through the new growth of palm trees. The larvae of R. cruentatus are about 5 cm long and make a clucking sound while boring in cabbage palms. These larvae are eaten, either fried or raw, by native peoples of tropical America. A similar species (R. ferrugines) has threatened copra (dried coconut meat) production in the Pacific because it attacks coconut and wine palms.

      Other billbug genera include Diaprepes, Rhodobaenus (cocklebur weevils), Sitophilus (granary and rice weevils), and Sphenophorus (corn billbugs).

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • billbug — ☆ billbug [bil′bug΄ ] n. [ BILL2 + BUG1] any of certain stout bodied weevils (family Curculionidae) whose larvae feed upon numerous plants, esp. cereal grasses, corn, etc …   English World dictionary

  • Billbug — Billbeetle Bill bee tle, or Billbug Bill bug , n. (Zo[ o]l.) A weevil or curculio of various species, as the corn weevil. See {Curculio}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • billbug — noun Etymology: 1bill + bug Date: 1861 any of various weevils (as of the genus Sphenophorus) having larvae that eat the roots of cereal and other grasses …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • billbug — bill•bug [[t]ˈbɪlˌbʌg[/t]] n. ent any of several weevils, esp. of the genus Calendra, that feed on various grasses • Etymology: 1860–65, amer.; bill+bug …   From formal English to slang

  • billbug — ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun Etymology: bill (I) + bug : any of numerous weevils (as members of the genus Calendra) having larvae that are destructive to the roots of grasses and cereal crops …   Useful english dictionary

  • corn billbug — noun : any of several billbugs that feed on maize …   Useful english dictionary

  • maize billbug — noun : a weevil (Sphenophorus maidis) sometimes destructive to corn …   Useful english dictionary

  • palmetto billbug — noun see palmetto weevil …   Useful english dictionary

  • Billbeetle — Bill bee tle, or Billbug Bill bug , n. (Zo[ o]l.) A weevil or curculio of various species, as the corn weevil. See {Curculio}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Curculionidae — Lixus angustatus Scientific classification …   Wikipedia

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