# Clover Weevil

*Sitona hispidulus*

Larvae selectively burrow into root nodules, disrupting the nitrogen-fixing bacteria that supply essential nutrients to the host clover plant.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Coleoptera › Curculionidae › Sitona
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Pastures, meadows, cultivated alfalfa and clover fields, roadside verges, and open grassy areas.
- **Diet:** Herbivorous; adults chew the foliage of clover, alfalfa, and other legumes, while larvae burrow underground to feed on root nodules and taproots.
- **Range:** Europe, North America, Northern Asia
- **Size:** 3 to 5 mm in length
- **Lifespan:** About 1 year
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Agricultural tilling, insecticide applications, and crop rotation practices.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless to humans. It does not bite, sting, or produce irritating toxins. No special precautions or medical treatments are needed when handling or observing this insect.

## About

Sitona hispidulus is a species of weevil native to Europe and introduced to Asia and North America.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/41f71df9-88c6-490b-a4b6-830d28fa0767
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/231080
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitona hispidulus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/84674908/medium.jpg (Barry Walter, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.