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Red Palm Weevil

 

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) -- Coleopetera:  Curculionidae

 

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       Weevils of all stages were found attacking Canary Island Phoenix canariansis, palm trees in coastal southern California in 2010.  It was suspected that this was another result of the global trade, and in this case the insect arriving with its palm tree host serving as a food supply.  It was feared that other Phoenix sp. palms could become infested as well, and eradication efforts began immediately.  The insect is native to Southeastern Asia where it is widespread.  It has also invaded parts of  Africa, Europe, and islands of the Caribbean.  Not only is the damage to palm trees in urban areas important, but in some countries production of food from dates and oil from date palms is of great economic concern.

 

       Infestations are frequently difficult to detect as different parts of a tree may be infested.  Feeding of larvae to leaf bases anywhere in the canopy is a signal of possible infestation.   Sawdust mixed with insect excrement that accumulates around injury sites or at the base of offshoots may also appear in infested trees.  Adult weevils are good fliers and can be viewed readily for being quite large.  Infestation begins when female weevils lay eggs in a crevice made on a palm tree.  The number of eggs laid can vary from 50 to over 500 per batch, all of which hatch after about six days.  The larvae then feed on the palm as they make their way into the center of the plant.  The number of larval stages vary from 3-7, and after about two months they form pupae that remain for up to 45 days.  Then adults that emerge can live for up to three months, always feeding on palm tissue.  There may be even twenty-one generations per ycar, depending on temperature.

 

       Once infestation has occurred, it is difficult to eliminate the beetles, as even the use of insecticides will not reach all individuals in a tree.  Sanitation can halt the spread to other areas, but the best method seems to be eradication when the first sightings are made.  In California the rigorous eradication that began shortly after the invasion has by 2022 already greatly reduced the area where the weevils occur, and it is hoped that complete elimination will succeed.  Biological control with predators, parasites, and pathogens to kill a pest are not expected do not provide adequate control of in regions where the weevil is widespread.

 

REFERENCES:

 

Abraham, V. A.; M. A. I. Shuaibi, M. J. R. Faleiro, R. A. Abozuhairah & P. S. P. V. Vidyasagar.  1998.  An Integrated Management Approach for Red Palm Weevil Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus Oliv. a Key Pest of Date Palm in the Middle East.   Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences.   Sci Tech Solutions. 3 (1):  77.

 

Ajlan, A. M.  &  K. S. Abdulsalam.  2000.  Efficiency of some pheromone traps for controlling red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), under Saudi Arabia conditions.  Bulletin of the Entomological Society of Egypt, Economic Series. 27:  109–120.

 

Ajlan, A. M., M. S. Shawir, M. Abo-El-Saad, M. A. Rezk, & K. S. Abdulsalam.  2000.  Laboratory evaluation of certain organophosphorus insecticides against the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier).  Scientific Journal of King Faisal University (Basic and Applied Sciences) 1:  15–26.

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El-Sufty, R.; S. A. Al-Awash,  A. M. Al Amiri, A. A.  Shahdad, A. H.  Al Bathra  &  S. A. Musa, S. A.   2007.  Biological control of red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Col.: Curculionidae) by the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana in United Arab Emirates.  Acta Horticulturae (736):  399–404.

 

Ferry, M. & S. Gómez.  2002.  The red palm weevil in the Mediterranean Area.  Palms. International Palm Society. 46. Paris, France (11):  2006-11-01.

 

Hallett, R. H., G. Gries, J. H. Borden, E. Czyzewska, A. C. Oehlschlager, H. D. Pierce, Jr., N. P. D. Angerilli  &  A. Rauf.  1993.  Aggregation pheromones of two Asian palm weevils, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus and R. vulneratus.  Naturwissenschafen 80:  328–331.

 

Hoddle, Mark S.; Christina D. Hoddle, Mohammed Alzubaidy, John Kabashima, J. Nisson, J. Nicholas, Jocelyn Millar &   Monica Dimson.  2016.  The palm weevil Rhynchophorus vulneratusis eradicated from Laguna Beach.  California Agriculture. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. 71 (1):  23–29.

 

Murphy, S. T.  &  B. R. Briscoe.  1999.  The red palm weevil as an alien invasive: biology and the prospects for biological control as a component of IPM.  Biocontrol News and Information 20:  35N=46N.

 

Nirula, K. K.  1956.  Investigations on the pests of coconut palm. Part IV Rhynchophorus ferrugineus F.  Indian Coconut Journal 9:  229–247.

 

Soares, Marisa.  2022.  As palmeiras ainda podem ganhar a guerra contra o escaravelho-vermelho.  PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-01-05.