Gilson Fabiano de Matos

doi:10.19080/IJESNR.2025.35.556418

Short Communication

Field Record of Sphenophorus levis Flight

Gilson Fabiano de Matos, Dagmara Gomes Ramalho* and Sergio Antonio De Bortoli

Departamento de Fitossanidade, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV), Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Brasil

Submission: May 15, 2025;Published: June 09, 2025

*Corresponding author: Dagmara Gomes Ramalho, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) - Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV), Departamento de Fitossanidade, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil

How to cite this article:Gilson Fabiano de M, Dagmara Gomes R, Sergio Antonio De B. Field Record of Sphenophorus levis Flight.. Int J Environ Sci Nat Res. 2025; 35(4): 556418.DOI: 10.19080/IJESNR.2025.35.556418

Abstract

Sphenophorus levis is currently one of the main pests affecting sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) cultivation in Brazil. The adoption of mechanized harvesting without burning (i.e., harvesting raw sugarcane) has favored its spread, particularly due to the increased straw cover, creating a microenvironment conducive to the insect’s survival. Damage caused by larvae and adults compromises the vegetative development of the plant and can lead to agricultural losses exceeding 30 tons per hectare, demonstrating its destructive potential. This study presents the first field record of adult flight activity in S. levis, observed in the region of Ribeirão Preto (São Paulo, Brazil), with significant implications for understanding its dispersion and for potentially redefining management strategies. Flights averaging 10 meters vertically and 30 meters horizontally were recorded, with the insect utilizing favorable air currents, exhibiting behavior not previously documented for this species.

Keywords: Sphenophorus levis; Sugarcane weevil; Flight behavior; Pest dispersion; Integrated pest management

Short Communication

The sugarcane weevil, Sphenophorus levis Vaurie, 1978 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is considered a soil-dwelling pest of increasing importance in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) cultivation in Brazil. Larvae penetrate sugarcane rhizomes, and there is a direct correlation between damage and crop losses: each 1% increase in rhizome damage corresponds to a 1% reduction in productivity [1]. Historically described as an insect with low mobility and predominantly terrestrial movement, S. levis has been associated with passive dispersal, mainly through the transport of infested seedlings between areas [2,3].

This study presents the first direct evidence of active flight behavior under natural conditions, which may significantly revise current understanding of its biology and ecology. The observation was conducted in a commercial sugarcane cultivation area in the municipality of Ribeirão Preto (São Paulo, Brazil) in March 2025. Meteorological conditions at the time included clear skies, a temperature of 28°C, 57% relative humidity, and wind speeds up to 9km/h. The crop had an average plant height of 1 meter, with soil covered by straw.

An adult S. levis was observed moving from the base of the plant to the youngest leaf (leaf +1), remaining for a few minutes exhibiting foraging-like behavior before spreading its wings and performing an upward flight projected foward and to up at an inclination close to 90 degrees, reaching an estimated height of 10 meters and covering approximately 30 meters horizontally, always in the direction of the air current. This behavior represents a previously undocumented aspect of the species, which was historically thought to disperse mainly through infested plant material and whose active adult movement was considered limited to walking a few meters per day [4,5]. The observed behavior demonstrates the use of air currents and active flight for displacement, altering the understanding of its bioecology and potentially explaining infestations in seemingly isolated areas.

The ability to disperse by flight expands the pest’s range and undermines the effectiveness of containment strategies based on physical barriers or localized insecticide applications. The literature already highlights difficulties in chemical control due to the pest’s location in the underground parts of the plant and in shrubs [2]. This behavioral flight observation may help explain current control challenges and indicates that aerial dispersion could allow S. levis to overcome natural boundaries between agricultural areas, facilitating the infestation of new regions and accelerating the spread of the pest.

The unprecedented field record of S. levis flight activity represents a significant advancement in understanding the species’ behavior and biology, with direct implications for its management. Air mobility suggests that the pest has a greater dispersal capacity than previously estimated, contributing to the rapid expansion of infested areas. Therefore, it is essential to review management strategies, focusing on more integrated and dynamic approaches, including aerial monitoring, the use of adapted traps, and climate mapping for outbreak prediction. Future investigations are needed to confirm the frequency, duration, and environmental factors that favor this flight behavior in S. levis, as well as to evaluate its influence on the pest’s population dynamics (Video).