Pacific Pests & Pathogens - Mini Fact Sheet EditionCoconut red palm weevil (180)
Pacific Pests & Pathogens - Mini Fact Sheet EditionCoconut red palm weevil (180)
Summary
- Widespread distribution. On coconut, and other palms: betel nut, oil palm, sago palm, date palm, and ornamental palms. An important pest.
- Adults and larvae tunnel into the base of stems and fronds; leaves in the crown wilt and die. Larvae tunnel into the soft insides for up to 1 m.
- Often difficult to see the symptoms until internal damage is severe.
- Natural enemies: red-eye assassin bug; earwigs.
- Cultural control: destroy infested stems by cutting and burying; if leaves are removed from palms during harvests, cut them where leaflets start.
- Chemical control: commercial pheromone lures available; trunk injections unlikely to be economic.
Common Name
Red palm weevil; also known as the Asian palm weevil or sago palm weevil.
Scientific Name
Rhyncophorus ferrugineus
AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Photo 1 John Kabashima, UC Cooperative Extension, Bugwood.org. Photos 2&3 Christina Hoddle, University of California - Riverside, Bugwood.org. Photo 4 Küchenkraut Rhyncophorus ferrugineus. Wikipedia. Diagram The Star Online (Malaysia). Beetle may destroy palm oil sector. (http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/04/11/beetle-may-destroy-palm-oil-sector-red-palm-weevil-infestations-threaten-to-wipe-out-local-plantatio/).
Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
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