About Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (T.Marsham, 1802)
Ceutorhynchus obstrictus, commonly known as the cabbage seedpod weevil, is a species of snout beetle, also called true weevil. It is widespread across Europe and inhabits multiple types of cruciferous plants. Adult cabbage seedpod weevils feed on leaves, but they breed inside plant seedpods, and their larvae destroy the seeds inside these pods. This species can act as a harmful pest for agricultural crops including rapeseed or canola (Brassica napus), cabbage and its close relatives (Brassica oleracea), and Brassica rapa. C. obstrictus is native to Europe and also occurs in parts of Asia. Beginning in the early 1930s, the species was reported in North America, where it was originally misidentified under the name Ceutorhynchus assimilis. It was first collected in Washington State and in the area near Vancouver in western Canada. Today, C. obstrictus is more widely distributed across North America, and is considered an important invasive pest especially in regions where rapeseed, or canola, is grown.
