What is c. maculatus?

C. maculatus, also known as the cowpea weevil, is a common pest of stored cowpea and other legumes, causing significant economic damage. It is a small, dark brown beetle measuring about 2-4 mm in length. The adult female cowpea weevil lays eggs on the surface of cowpeas or other legumes, and the hatched larvae burrow into the seeds and feed on the endosperm, causing damage and reducing the quality of the grain. The cowpea weevil can complete its entire lifecycle within a single stored legume seed. Infestations can be prevented by properly storing and treating legume seeds to kill any insect eggs or larvae before storage. Control measures may also include fumigation with pesticides or the use of insect-resistant storage containers.