Maize weevil

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/maize-weevil

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Sitophilus zeamais
2. What is a maize weevil and why is it a problem for stored grains?The maize weevil is a tiny beetle that eats grains. It can chew holes in the grain and grow inside, which makes the grain lighter and less nutritious. When many weevils are in a storage, farmers lose a lot of their harvest.
3. How does a maize weevil grow inside a grain?The female weevil puts an egg inside the grain by biting a hole. The egg turns into a larva that eats the inside of the grain. The larva stays inside until it becomes a pupa and then an adult, which chews its way out.

Cosmopolitan: Found in many parts of the world; widespread.
Holometabolous: Undergoing complete metamorphosis, with distinct larval, pupal, and adult stages.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM): A strategy that combines biological, cultural, physical, and chemical tools to manage pests effectively.