On Wed, 25 Feb 2004, PK wrote:

I've caught a few of them in a small jar in case I need to send them
to anyone. I could send you a few if you like! ;-)

There used to be a weevil expert in the Natural History Museum in S
Kensington, but since he is older than me he may have retired - but
they may have replaced him. If it is something that is uncommon in
UK, I imagine they'd be interested to see it.

Not as uncommon as you might think. we had an infestation originating from a
packet of mixed wild bird seed in the bottom of the larder cupboard. It took
us months to finallly rootle out all the opened packest of this and that
that were acting as reservoirs for reinfestation.

But was it Acanthoscelides obtectus? From what I've read they will
attack only beans (of all sorts) and peas.

As I mentioned before, we had an infestation of weevils many years ago
from some spices bought in a supermarket in Chinatown but that was a
different type.

I've done more reading up on the subject and can find only passing
references to it in British writings, but no reports of any outbreaks in
the UK. Strangely enough, one paper referred to how they deal with that
weevil in Zimbabwe - which is where our house sitter last summer came
from!

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