Bug FAQLarge Thistle Weevil
Cleonis pigra · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Curculionidae
Also called: Weevil
The large thistle weevil has a distinctive double V-pattern on its wing covers and a rostrum with three grooves. Its larvae develop inside the roots of plants in the aster family, and it is recorded in Britain but native to Eurasia.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Identify it by the double V-shaped pattern on the elytra and a rostrum bearing three sulci.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
The species develops in the roots of plants belonging to the family Asteraceae.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Its larvae feed on the roots of aster family plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Development occurs within the roots of Asteraceae plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to Eurasia and has been recorded in Britain.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is sometimes spelled differently in literature, Cleonis piger, Cleonus piger, or Cleonus pigra, but the correct name is Cleonis pigra.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 12 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Maryland, New York, Illinois, Virginia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: introduced in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How can I identify the large thistle weevil?
Look for a double V-pattern on the wing covers and a rostrum with three grooves.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the large thistle weevil native to?
It is native to Eurasia and has been recorded in Britain.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants does this weevil affect?
Its larvae develop in the roots of plants in the aster family.
Source: Wikipedia
Are there different spellings for this species?
Yes, it appears as Cleonis piger, Cleonus piger, or Cleonus pigra, but the correct spelling is Cleonis pigra.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Curculionidae)
Green Immigrant Leaf WeevilPolydrusus formosusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Black Vine WeevilOtiorhynchus sulcatusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Nettle weevilPhyllobius pomaceusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Asian Oak WeevilCyrtepistomus castaneusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Strawberry Root WeevilOtiorhynchus ovatusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common Leaf WeevilPhyllobius pyriDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleonis_pigra
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.