Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus)

June 2008

Hello dear reader!

actually a very beautiful animal, this red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), but what a pest for the Spanish palms population! Since 15 years, via uncontrolled import of palms to Europe this red palm weevil came to Europe, and was able to start his natural disaster in the palm population in the Mediterranian countries. Before all others the Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis) is infected. .

Also in my own garden the red palm weevil doesn´t know any mercy. The bug enters via the crown of the palm and puts its eggs into the trunk of the palm. From there the maggots eat themselves unnoticeable through the palm until it dies off. If the first yellow leaves are noticed, it is already too late. These palms are not any more to be rescued.

But also preventive actions, which we used for two years, didn´t show any success. An effective preventive method seems not to be available up to date.

Red palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus):

On this photo you can recognize, that mites are transported on the legs of the bug. This process is called phoresy, which means the temporary use of another animal (in this case a bug) for transportation to another fee lot: