**Abstract**

The meteorological factors study in the beetle population dynamics, as well as its association with vegetation, is of fundamental importance for understanding the variation that occurs in its population. Thus, it was reported the influence of temperature, humidity, insolation and precipitation on the beetles in general and it was presented a case study that examined the relationship between time and population fluctuation of curculionids in Mata de Cocal and an area used for crop rotation and animal grazing, in the city of Teresina, Brazil, from August 2011 to July 2012. It was verified that beetles populations certain are governed and conditioned by meteorological variables to a greater or lesser extent depending on the characteristics of the community itself and the biotic and abiotic environmental factors of the area where they live: the temperature that changes the its metabolic rate, the insolation and humidity that can affect its fertility and longevity can be cited as examples. From the case presented, It was found that the Curculionidae community has a positive association with precipitation and humidity and a negative association with insolation and temperature, being that in native forests curculionids are not as dependent on meteorological variables as in agricultural fields.

**Keywords:** ecology, biometeorology, entomology, Coleoptera, Curculionidae

### **1. Introduction**

Coleopteran insects, which they are popularly known as beetles, are important indicators of the environment quality, as they are susceptible to climatic variations and occupy a habitats diversity [1–3]. Among the beetles, the family Curculionidae Latreille, 1802, is a very important group present in forest ecosystems due to the role of wood deterioration they make.1

Insects like all living beings are subject to the nature forces, so there may be an influence that can inhibit or favor the species certain development. For example, the hottest and driest events on El Niño are having an alarming effect on biodiversity in the Amazon Rainforest, contributing to the reduction of insects in the Amazon and across the globe2 [4]. Intense droughts and forest fires during the last El Niño climatic phenomenon, combined with human disturbances - deforestation and

<sup>1</sup> Curculionids are known as *Rüsselkäfer* or *Rüssler* in German, *charançon* in French and weevil in English. In Brazil, they are known as *gorgulhos*, *carneirinhos* or *bicudos* depending on the region.

<sup>2</sup> El Niño is an atmospheric-oceanic event is the abnormal warming of surface waters of the tropical Pacific Ocean. It affects regional and global meteorological conditions, changing wind dynamics around the world, changing rainfall patterns in tropical and mid-latitudes.

#### *Agrometeorology*

burning to clear areas for agricultural production and the sale of illegal wood - led to the reduction of beetles in the Amazon, the numbers dropped in half - with effects that can last at least two years, according to the researchers: about 8000 beetles were counted in 2010; 3700 in 2016, after El Niño; and 2600 beetles in 2017 [4].

Thus, in view of the climate changes that are already occurring and that are predicted for the coming years, the meteorological factors study in the beetle population dynamics, as well as its association with vegetation, is of fundamental importance for understanding the variation that occurs in its population.

In this way will be discussed the influence of temperature, humidity, insolation and precipitation on the beetles in general, firstly, in this chapter. And a second moment, as it is a relevant subject and to complement the scientific literature about the family Curculionidae when associated with the native forest and the areas agriculture and meteorological variables, a case study will be reported that aimed to analyze the curculionids relationship to temporal factors (precipitation, insolation, temperature and humidity) in Mata de Cocal (native forest) and in an area used for crop rotation and animal grazing (agricultural field).
