- 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.
Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition
Pacific Pests, Pathogens, Weeds & Pesticides
Coconut red palm weevil (180)
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Summary
Common Name
Red palm weevil; also known as the Asian palm weevil or sago palm weevil.
Scientific Name
Rhyncophorus ferrugineus
AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from Rhode BE, Crosby T (2012) Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus): PaDIL - http://www.padil.gov.au; and McCaffrey, S, Walker K (2012) Red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus): PaDIL - http://www.padil.gov.au; and Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (red palm weevil) (2020) Crop Protection Compendium. (https://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/47472); and from Malumphy C, Moran H (2017) Red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. Plant Pest Factsheet. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. (https://planthealthportal.defra.gov.uk/assets/factsheets/Rhynchophorus-ferrugineus-Defra-PP-Factsheet-Oct-2016-FINAL4.pdf). Photo 1 John Kabashima, UC Cooperative Extension, Bugwood.org. Photos 2&3 Christina Hoddle, University of California - Riverside, Bugwood.org. Photo 4 Küchenkraut Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (2021) Wikipedia. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhynchophorus_ferrugineus/).
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.
