The apple curculio is causing severe losses in a number of Iowa apple orchards and is not being controlled by spraying. The injury is caused by the feeding of the adult curculios on the fruit. The insect has a long beak with small jaws at the tip with which it chews a hole thru the skin of the apple and hollows out a large cavity below without increasing the size of the opening.

This insect shows a peculiar preference for certain varieties, notably the Ben Davis and Delicious, while some varieties such as the Northwestern Greening are practically free from attack.