Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) diversity and abundance in two Quebec vineyards

The wine-making region of southern Quebec in Canada experiences growing conditions that are unique in northeastern North America. After an outbreak of insect pests in 1996, a study of insect groups that may include potential pests or beneficial species was initiated. This article reports on the weevil diversity and abundance during three consecutive years of sampling (1997-1999) in two vineyards. All weevils were collected using pitfall and flight intercept traps. In total, 3,176 specimens were Collected, representing 73 species in three families of Curculionoidea. The family Curculionidae was the most species rich, especially the subfamilies Ceutorhynchinae, Curculioninae, and Entiminae. Four of the species recorded are known to feed on the genus Vitis (Vitaceae) in North America: Madarellus undulatus (Say), Barypeithes pellucidus (Boheman), Otiorhynchus ovatus (L.), and Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.). Of these, O. sulcatus is thought to represent the greatest potential threat based on adult abundance at one of the sites and the negative impact of this species in other wine-making regions in North America. Four species (Ceutorhynchus oregonensis Dietz, Pelenoinus waltoni (Boheman), Rhinoncus perpendicularis (Reiche), and Sphenophorus minimus Hart) are recorded in Quebec for the first time. A significant number of weevils collected during this study are adventive species associated with agroecosystems of northeastern North America.