The eastern form spends the winter as eggs and the western form spend the winter as adults. Females lay eggs in cavities in the stems of alfalfa. Yellowish eggs are laid in clusters on the plant. They pupate in cocoons in the soil and adult weevils emerge in about 10 days. There is one generation per year with adults living 10 to 14 months.
Adults readily fly and migrate to new fields.
Chewing mouthparts for adults and larvae. Alfalfa is the primary host plant, but they can also be found feeding on bur clover, sweet yellow clover, vetch and sometimes on other clovers. Both adults and larvae feed on foliage or buds. High population densities can completely defoliate spots in the field, resulting in sections appearing whitish. Injured plants are stunted when the bud is removed by feeding.