The Giraffe weevil is a weevil endemic to Madagascar. It derives its name from an extended neck much like that of the common giraffe. The giraffe weevil is sexually dimorphic.
This is a male. It uses its long neck for fighting. But the female is not having a neck as long as this.
This is a male. It uses its long neck for fighting. But the female is not having a neck as long as this.
This female is starting an ambitious construction project, making a nest to lay her egg.
Using her powerful legs, the female starts to fold the leaf in half. A male is right next to her in this image.
She then curves up the end of the leaf. Inside the curve she lays a SINGLE egg. All around the forest edge, females are busy curling the leaf edges.
Each female seems to have her own design of rolling leaves.
When she finally snip off the leaf edge, it falls off to the forest floor to hatch. All this effort is just for one egg.
Reference:
BBC Madagascar - Island of Marvels Series
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