l At present,576 weevil species are known here in Florida, of which 526 are native, and a few of them are pests. Among the 50 species of foreign origin, 5 were introduced deliberately as biological control agents of weeds, the other 45 are immigrants. (O'Brien 1995).

Among the immigrants are some important pests, many of which arrived as stowaways in cargoes of plants and plant materials, and were not detected by agricultural inspection, and established populations here in Florida. Eleven of them were reported for the first time in 1992 by Frank and McCoy. Alfalfa weevil, Apopka weevil (also called sugarcane rootstalk borer weevil), boll weevil, Fuller rose weevil, pepper weevil, and sweetpotao weevil are the other pests that arrived in cargoes.

Five weevil species were introduced and released for biological control of aquatic weeds, hydrilla, waterhyacinth, waterlettuce, and watermilfoil, and another more recently for control of Melalecua (punk trees). Each of them is a specialized feeder on one of those weed species.

Florida now has three species of the genus Metamasius. One, M. mosieri, is a native or at least has been in Florida for a long time. The second, M. hemipterus, is an immigrant detected in 1984 and attacks palms, banana plants, sugarcane, and sometimes pineapple. The third, M. callizona, detected in 1989, is also an immigrant, and attacks the native bromeliads here in Florida. A fourth, M. monilis, which attacks orchids, was also an immigrant, but was eradicated soon after its initial detection in a greenhouse in 1972. Swift action by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services eradicated M. monilis soon after it was detected, but detection was too late for M. callizona.

Now, several species of Florida's native bromeliads are under attack by the Metamasius callizona, and the Florida council of Bromeliad Societies, the University of Florida, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, are in a desperate effort to manage weevil populations through biological control.

Of Florida's 16 species of Bromeliads, 13 are not found anywhere else in the United States, and one, Tillandsia simulata is precintive to Florida. The Florida bromeliads are distinct from the West Indian bromeliads, where they orignated. There is also genetic variation among certain species in Florida, particulary Tillandsia fasciculata. All of Florida's native species of bromeliads are epiphytes, although some species may sometimes be found growind terrestrially (Tillandsia utriculata and Tillandsia fasciculata.

If you would like more information on the weevil threat, and bromeliads, visit my website below, or go to the University of Florida's website at:

http://savebromeliads.ifas/ufl.edu/ Thanks, John

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.freewebs.com/jacksbromeliads/