curculio

American  

[kur-kyoo-lee-oh] / kɜrˈkyu liˌoʊ /

noun

plural

curculios

1. any of several weevils, especially one of the genus Conotrachelus, as C. nenuphar plum curculio, which feeds on plums, cherries, and other fruits.

---

curculio British  

/ kɜːˈkjuːlɪˌəʊ /

noun

1. any of various American weevils, esp Conotrachelus nenuphar ( plum curculio ), a pest of fruit trees

---

Etymology

Origin of curculio

1750–60; < Latin: weevil, corn worm

Example Sentences

In the 1890s many smaller growers struggled to afford expensive and elaborate controls to combat pests such as San Jose scale and plum curculio.

From Salon

Plum curculio worms may show up in fruits if the trees are too deep in the ground — so get all the root flares dramatically exposed by removing mulch and soil.

From Seattle Times

David Riley, a professor of entomology at the University of Georgia, works with vegetable pests like cowpea curculio, which has decimated the state’s black-eye pea fields.

From Washington Post

He works with vegetable pests like cowpea curculio, which has decimated the state’s black-eye pea fields.

From Seattle Times

Beyond a pest named the plum curculio, the two big problems facing cherry growers in the Mid-Atlantic is the arrival of hungry birds at harvest time and the cracking of fruit caused by rain.

From Washington Post