|Home| Info| Community| Business| Beaches| What to do?| Rentals| News| Forum| Blogs| Finance| History| FAQ| Contact|
red palm weevil
Re: red palm weevil
oh yes they certainly do fly!!
Re: red palm weevil
We have noticed one very sick and smelly palm in a neigbours garden and at leat two more nearby which had all their fronds removed ( does this help ? ).
How many types of palms are at risk ?
How many types of palms are at risk ?
Re: red palm weevil
only a guess, I would be surprised if you see any palms left in a few years unless a cure is found
Re: red palm weevil
found this from the malta govt who have given this advice
Guidelines for pruning and spraying of Palm Trees
Control of the Red Palm Weevil Regulations
As stipulated in Regulation 6(6) of Legal Notice 42 of 2009 (Plant Quarantine Act CAP.
433) on the Control of the Red Palm Weevil, all susceptible plants frond pruning or any
similar activity shall be carried out in collaboration with and under the supervision of the
Plant Health Department which shall give proper and adequate instructions for such
pruning. Any such or similar activity cannot be carried out unless a written approval for
such pruning or similar activity has been obtained from the Department, not less than
fifteen days prior to the undertaking of the actual pruning or similar activity to be
undertaken.
No activity of whatever nature, concerning any susceptible plant material, including
fronds, may be undertaken unless prior written authorisation has been obtained from the
Director, who may, from time to time, issue relative guidelines in terms of these
regulations and in terms of the Act. Any person responsible for such activity without the
requisite written authorisation, shall be liable to a penalty in terms of article 30(1) of the
Act.
General
The palm trees from where the fronds are cut have to be sprayed with an appropriate,
locally registered insecticide. This has to be repeated for three consecutive times in order
to best protect the trees.
The fronds have to be cut as short as possible so as to minimize infective areas which are
generally concentrated at the base of the fronds.
The base of the frond has to be sealed with an appropriate pruning sealant. The thorns at
the base should also be removed for safe handling.
Direct preventive and curative treatments
Preventive non chemical treatments
• Offshoots removal should be followed immediately by a wood filling application
on the wound and 2 or 3 successive preventive insecticide spraying.
• Pruning in the places where green leaves are cut, preferably should be done in
winter and immediately followed by 2 or 3 successive preventive insecticide
treatments.
• The use of climbing systems with large spurs that wound the trunk deeply should
be avoided.
Chemical treatments
• The preventive treatments must be executed to protect the palms but also to limit
the dispersion of the pest: their purpose is to kill the adult weevils which arrive to
the palms for egg-laying but also the adults when they emerge from the bases of
the palms or from the trunk.
• In a radius of 1000 m around the place where infested palms have been detected
or several weevils were trapped, all the palms should be treated immediately. An
early reaction allows to limit the extension of the focus.
• Treatments by spraying insecticides are effective if they consist of true showers
(10 to 20 litres of solution per palm) otherwise they are useless.
• For the date palm, trunk (up to 2 meters) and offshoots should be treated. For the
P. canariensis, central leaves and bases of all the others leaves should be soaked
with insecticides.
• The available insecticides for spraying treatment present a relatively short period
of persistence that does not exceed around 4 weeks. Such a short period implies
frequent spraying during the whole period of adult dispersion.
Curative treatments and palms destruction
· When symptoms of an infestation are not clearly established, it is preferable to
treat the palm than to eliminate it. A good preventive treatment and regular
control of the palm will allow, if actually infested, the palm not to become a focus
of dispersion of the weevil. Regular control will rapidly allow establishing the
infestation status of the palm. This procedure can allow saving high value trees
and is much less expensive than eliminating systematically doubtful palms
· On the other hand, the elimination of clearly infested palm should be done as
rapidly as possible. Nevertheless, if this operation can’t be done as soon as the
palm has been detected, immediate insecticides treatment as described before
should be realized and repeated till the elimination of the palm. In too many
places, infested palms have not been immediately eliminated or have remained
too long without any efficient insecticide treatment. This situation has constituted
the second cause of dispersion of the red palm weevil after the movements of
palms that remains by far the main cause.
Last Updated: 25 June 2009
Updated by: David Mallia (Scientific Officer)
Plant Health Department, Plant Biotechnology Centre Annibale Preca Street Lija, LJA 1915 Malta.
Guidelines for pruning and spraying of Palm Trees
Control of the Red Palm Weevil Regulations
As stipulated in Regulation 6(6) of Legal Notice 42 of 2009 (Plant Quarantine Act CAP.
433) on the Control of the Red Palm Weevil, all susceptible plants frond pruning or any
similar activity shall be carried out in collaboration with and under the supervision of the
Plant Health Department which shall give proper and adequate instructions for such
pruning. Any such or similar activity cannot be carried out unless a written approval for
such pruning or similar activity has been obtained from the Department, not less than
fifteen days prior to the undertaking of the actual pruning or similar activity to be
undertaken.
No activity of whatever nature, concerning any susceptible plant material, including
fronds, may be undertaken unless prior written authorisation has been obtained from the
Director, who may, from time to time, issue relative guidelines in terms of these
regulations and in terms of the Act. Any person responsible for such activity without the
requisite written authorisation, shall be liable to a penalty in terms of article 30(1) of the
Act.
General
The palm trees from where the fronds are cut have to be sprayed with an appropriate,
locally registered insecticide. This has to be repeated for three consecutive times in order
to best protect the trees.
The fronds have to be cut as short as possible so as to minimize infective areas which are
generally concentrated at the base of the fronds.
The base of the frond has to be sealed with an appropriate pruning sealant. The thorns at
the base should also be removed for safe handling.
Direct preventive and curative treatments
Preventive non chemical treatments
• Offshoots removal should be followed immediately by a wood filling application
on the wound and 2 or 3 successive preventive insecticide spraying.
• Pruning in the places where green leaves are cut, preferably should be done in
winter and immediately followed by 2 or 3 successive preventive insecticide
treatments.
• The use of climbing systems with large spurs that wound the trunk deeply should
be avoided.
Chemical treatments
• The preventive treatments must be executed to protect the palms but also to limit
the dispersion of the pest: their purpose is to kill the adult weevils which arrive to
the palms for egg-laying but also the adults when they emerge from the bases of
the palms or from the trunk.
• In a radius of 1000 m around the place where infested palms have been detected
or several weevils were trapped, all the palms should be treated immediately. An
early reaction allows to limit the extension of the focus.
• Treatments by spraying insecticides are effective if they consist of true showers
(10 to 20 litres of solution per palm) otherwise they are useless.
• For the date palm, trunk (up to 2 meters) and offshoots should be treated. For the
P. canariensis, central leaves and bases of all the others leaves should be soaked
with insecticides.
• The available insecticides for spraying treatment present a relatively short period
of persistence that does not exceed around 4 weeks. Such a short period implies
frequent spraying during the whole period of adult dispersion.
Curative treatments and palms destruction
· When symptoms of an infestation are not clearly established, it is preferable to
treat the palm than to eliminate it. A good preventive treatment and regular
control of the palm will allow, if actually infested, the palm not to become a focus
of dispersion of the weevil. Regular control will rapidly allow establishing the
infestation status of the palm. This procedure can allow saving high value trees
and is much less expensive than eliminating systematically doubtful palms
· On the other hand, the elimination of clearly infested palm should be done as
rapidly as possible. Nevertheless, if this operation can’t be done as soon as the
palm has been detected, immediate insecticides treatment as described before
should be realized and repeated till the elimination of the palm. In too many
places, infested palms have not been immediately eliminated or have remained
too long without any efficient insecticide treatment. This situation has constituted
the second cause of dispersion of the red palm weevil after the movements of
palms that remains by far the main cause.
Last Updated: 25 June 2009
Updated by: David Mallia (Scientific Officer)
Plant Health Department, Plant Biotechnology Centre Annibale Preca Street Lija, LJA 1915 Malta.
Re: red palm weevil
and this too from malta
: April 06, 2009, 19:22:18 PM »
For anyone concerned about the RPW, here is the advice sent by the Government's Plant Health Department, regarding preventitive measures. This is the time the RPW becomes active so if you need to, do it now:
Quote
Red Palm Weevil Prevention/Control
Referring to your call / e-mail at our office, please find attached the list of active ingredients that can be used for the prevention of Red Palm Weevil. The active ingredients Thaimethoxam and Imidacloprid are two systemic insecticides that move inside the trees xylem thus being more efficient than other non-systemic insecticides.
Pesticide solutions should be applied at the crown of the palm tree. A solution of 10 to 20 litres is advised per tree and the treatment should be administered as true showers (not spray). It is important to alternate with different active ingredients to prevent the weevil from building resistance to the treatment.
Frequency of treatments should be applied depending on the product (Active Ingredient) used such information can be obtained from the product label. As a rule of thumb six treatments per year should be applied focusing more in the hotter days where the insect is particularly active.
The pruning of palm trees should only be limited to dead fronds since any exposed wounds can attract weevils. Such wounds can be use as an entry point where females lay eggs (approx 250eggs at 25 per tree). Should the pruning of green fronds be necessary, it is important to treat the wounds with appropriate pesticides to minimize the attraction of RPW.
To a lesser extent mothballs (ex-naphthalene balls) can be used as a mild repellent for the Red Palm Weevil aiming at discouraging female from laying eggs. A small amount of balls (4-6 balls) can be put in a mesh bag and placed close to the crown of the palm tree. Two to three such bags can also be suspended from the tree.
If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact the Surveillance and Inspectorate Unit (SIU). Further information on Red Palm Weevil can be obtained from the Plant Health Department website: www.planthealth.gov.mt
List of Active Ingredients (A.I) for the protection and control of Palm trees against Red Palm Weevil
Abamectin Imidacloprid
Dimethoate Chlorpyrifos
Chlorpyrifos – Methyl
Thaimethoxam
Deltamethrin
Cypermethrin
: April 06, 2009, 19:22:18 PM »
For anyone concerned about the RPW, here is the advice sent by the Government's Plant Health Department, regarding preventitive measures. This is the time the RPW becomes active so if you need to, do it now:
Quote
Red Palm Weevil Prevention/Control
Referring to your call / e-mail at our office, please find attached the list of active ingredients that can be used for the prevention of Red Palm Weevil. The active ingredients Thaimethoxam and Imidacloprid are two systemic insecticides that move inside the trees xylem thus being more efficient than other non-systemic insecticides.
Pesticide solutions should be applied at the crown of the palm tree. A solution of 10 to 20 litres is advised per tree and the treatment should be administered as true showers (not spray). It is important to alternate with different active ingredients to prevent the weevil from building resistance to the treatment.
Frequency of treatments should be applied depending on the product (Active Ingredient) used such information can be obtained from the product label. As a rule of thumb six treatments per year should be applied focusing more in the hotter days where the insect is particularly active.
The pruning of palm trees should only be limited to dead fronds since any exposed wounds can attract weevils. Such wounds can be use as an entry point where females lay eggs (approx 250eggs at 25 per tree). Should the pruning of green fronds be necessary, it is important to treat the wounds with appropriate pesticides to minimize the attraction of RPW.
To a lesser extent mothballs (ex-naphthalene balls) can be used as a mild repellent for the Red Palm Weevil aiming at discouraging female from laying eggs. A small amount of balls (4-6 balls) can be put in a mesh bag and placed close to the crown of the palm tree. Two to three such bags can also be suspended from the tree.
If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact the Surveillance and Inspectorate Unit (SIU). Further information on Red Palm Weevil can be obtained from the Plant Health Department website: www.planthealth.gov.mt
List of Active Ingredients (A.I) for the protection and control of Palm trees against Red Palm Weevil
Abamectin Imidacloprid
Dimethoate Chlorpyrifos
Chlorpyrifos – Methyl
Thaimethoxam
Deltamethrin
Cypermethrin
Re: red palm weevil
excellent slide show to see on the red palm weevil
http://gulfnews.com/pictures/news/the-d ... l-1.514422
http://gulfnews.com/pictures/news/the-d ... l-1.514422
-
e-richard
- Moderator
- Posts: 3031
- Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2003 4:18 pm
- Location: Surrey and Carvoeiro
- Contact:
Re: red palm weevil
Aaaah, they're soooo cute.martin wrote:excellent slide show to see on the red palm weevil
http://gulfnews.com/pictures/news/the-d ... l-1.514422
Seems a shame to kill the ba***rds
Thanks for all the helpful notes Martin.
Re: red palm weevil
Interesting reading, perhaps we should send it to the Camara of Lagoa?
We have actually purchased over the last few weeks about 8 packets of mothballs from Intermarche as we thought perhaps the smell would deter the weevils, so our reasoning was on the right lines! We did watch one of the adults flying around our trees one hot day after the mothball treatment and it did fly off without landing.
Only down side is that the front garden smells very much of old wardrobes in the evenings!!
We have actually purchased over the last few weeks about 8 packets of mothballs from Intermarche as we thought perhaps the smell would deter the weevils, so our reasoning was on the right lines! We did watch one of the adults flying around our trees one hot day after the mothball treatment and it did fly off without landing.
Only down side is that the front garden smells very much of old wardrobes in the evenings!!
Re: red palm weevil
As this bug infests NON NATIVE trees would it be such a problem if the landscape returned closer to that which it once looked like with pines , cork oaks etc.
It would certainly inmrove the native fauna habitat for small birds etc.
It would certainly inmrove the native fauna habitat for small birds etc.
Re: red palm weevil
Perhaps no more palms should be planted, instead choosing native trees but remembering that the pine trees do get infested with the processional catarpillars perhaps limiting those. However, we should try to protect the existing palms. One reason being that it is virtually impossible without some sort of large mechanical digger to remove the roots to make way for another tree. We removed 5 two years ago as they were lifting the pool terrace with their roots and only this year were we able to remove the roots. It took a lot of manpower,patience and new soil to acheive a desirable planting environment for other species. Although the roots die, they take for ever to rot on their own, especially the inner part whicih can be likened to hemp type rope!
Re: red palm weevil
I bought today from local agro firm in Messines (Messiagro) a trap which has a bait to attract the weevils. The price with bucket and the chemical attraction was about 25 euros , enough according to the shop to last 3 - 4 months. The trap will cover an area of about 1 hectare so I am told and has to be sited 50 metres from the nearest palm . The bugs will become trapped and drown (after a few days) Do not do what Silves Camara have done and hang the traps on the palm as that merely attracts the weevils to the palm even more
details here from the spanish firm
http://translate.google.com/translate?u ... l=es&tl=en
details here from the spanish firm
http://translate.google.com/translate?u ... l=es&tl=en
Re: red palm weevil
click on the section on palms and then about the weevil magnet..explains everything
Re: red palm weevil
slide show which shows how quickly the weevil has spread thru the med region
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/13085261/Re ... alm-weevil
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/13085261/Re ... alm-weevil
-
thepropertydoctor
- CVO Regular
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2009 9:06 pm
Re: red palm weevil
Whilst I have some sympathy for "palm lovers - and I lost a very old one this year - I guess the "bonus" is the potential death of all the palms the Cãmaras keep buying and planting in urban areas. Why they don't plant indigenous trees that give shade beats me
Re: red palm weevil
We had 3 removed from neighbouring gardens today ( what a performance ) and walking around the village saw 2 more in various stages of being dug up.
By the bins are large piles of fronds and in one case stumps,
Once you look for the signs it is very clear that this is a serious problem that will change the look of the village in a very short time.
By the bins are large piles of fronds and in one case stumps,
Once you look for the signs it is very clear that this is a serious problem that will change the look of the village in a very short time.