Curculio elephas

Curculio elephas is a species of beetle in the family Curculionidae, the true weevils. It is known commonly as the chestnut weevil. It is a serious pest of chestnut (Castanea sativa).

The adult female weevil drills a hole in a chestnut fruit and deposits one egg inside. When the larva emerges it feeds on the fruit. It emerges from the chestnut, drops to the ground, and immediately buries itself several centimeters deep in the soil. Larvae may pupate in the soil for one season or for several years. The adult emerges and lives in the canopy of the chestnut tree.