About Diaprepes abbreviatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Diaprepes abbreviatus (Linnaeus, 1758), commonly called the diaprepes root weevil, citrus root weevil, and sugarcane rootstock borer weevil, is a species of weevil. It is native to the Caribbean, where it has the Spanish colloquial name chichí, and it is already an agricultural pest across multiple Caribbean countries. This weevil has become an invasive pest in several locations across the United States after accidental introduction. It was first accidentally introduced to Florida, United States, in 1964, and remains a major pest of citrus there today. It was first documented in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas in 2000, which led to a quarantine in 2001; the weevil was later found around Houston in 2009, and a 2019 sighting confirmed it still persists in the area. A new 2022 sighting of the weevil was recorded in Pearland, Texas. It was first discovered in southern California in 2005, where it acts as a pest of citrus, avocado, and nursery stock.
