![]() However long it may take this little guy to transform, we feel lucky to have witnessed this brief portion of an amazing creature’s life. They overwinter like this, pupate, and emerge the following summer, or, according to some sources, up to three years later. The grubs dig down into the ground and create an earthen chamber around them. This may be because there are several species of weevil that lay eggs in the acorns of several different oak species, and they all may have somewhat different life cycle details. Online resources differ somewhat as to what happens next in the weevil’s life cycle. I have since watched one dig rapidly into loose soil in a container I placed it in, so this burrowing behavior is likely influenced by soil characteristics. I finally gave up and left it to its decision-making. But, it just couldn’t seem to make up its little grub mind as it would crawl, dig, crawl, and dig some more. I lingered and watched, hoping to see it disappear into the soil. Bring them in from the cold temps & they start to barrow out of the nuts. ![]() The grubs usually emerge within a few days after the acorn drops to the ground. I have found as many as three of the larvae in one acorn, although studies suggest those sharing an acorn may develop more slowly. From what I could decipher in various reports, it looks like larvae feed for a couple of weeks before emerging. Eggs hatch in a few days and the larvae begin feeding on the acorn meat. Females do this in summer and create chambers in the nut meat and then lays eggs into them. Their mouth parts are located at the tip of that long snout and are used to chew holes in plant material and, in the case of acorn weevils, through the shell of developing acorns. The basal portion fits into a groove in their snout when they are feeding. Their antennae are bent in the middle (geniculate) and are located about half-way down the rostrum. True weevils are generally small beetles (less than 1/4 inch) with a long snout (rostrum) that remind some of the trunk of an elephant. I photographed this adult, the only one I have ever found, in late August a few years ago There were a lot of them…what the heck were these things? I placed the nuts in a pan and after a couple of days, I noticed some movement in my acorn stash…small, chubby little grubs. I collected a batch of acorns from a couple of different oak species and was going to have students observe and sketch them. I was preparing a lesson for a class years ago and decided to do something on acorns (it was a very good mast year that year). Use the Grub armor until you get the Lady Bug armor. But, first, let me explain my introduction to the creature that is often the cause of this phenomenon of the floating acorn. It also makes it so your attacks don’t consume as much stamina. ![]() In spite of this fact being around for over one hundred years (at least), I found out about it only after I started working at the museum 20+ years ago. I am looking for acorns these days, to sow on the Walden lot, but can find very few sound ones…I found by trial that the last or apparently sound acorns would always sink in water, while the rotten ones would float, and I have accordingly offered five cents a quart for such as will sink.
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