Weevils are beetles with snouts. The mouthparts are at the end of the snout and consequently they can only take very small bites out of foliage. Typical weevil feeding damage appears as notching or small holes in the leaves. The larvae (black vine weevil larvae) of many weevils feed on the roots of plants (damage). One of the common weevils in gardens is the black vine weevil. The adult is about 3/8 of an inch long, black with a short snout. The larvae and adults feed on many shrubs and herbaceous plants. Generally, control is not necessary on herbaceous plants in the garden.
A weevil found on hollyhocks is the hollyhock weevil. The adults are small, covered with gray hairs and have a long snout. The adults chew small round holes in the leaves of the hollyhock plant. Female weevils lay eggs in the flower buds. The larvae feed on the seed embryo and adults emerge in August. To control this weevil in the garden, cut and destroy flower stalks with infested seed pods.
Hollyhock weevils. Photo: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org
Damage on liriope. Photo: University of Maryland Extension