Palm Tree. Is it too far gone or can it be saved?

[sstuff3]

This is a picture of the top of one of our palm trees. It appears some sort of insect has been feasting on the top of it (about 5 meters high). Is it too far gone or can it be saved?

 

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[drtreelove]

Too far gone! No green, no life.  

 

Some sort of insect? Looks more like some sort of explosive device. ?

[Carib]

Nope, too far gone. Could be just the end of life, grown to the max height and not able to transport water up to where it is really needed. Top side becomes soggy and weak, no more new leaves will grow. 

 

Take a tree saw and cut it as close to the ground as you can. The stump will rot in a couple of months and can easily be removed. 

[sstuff3]

Thanks for all the replies. I figured it was too far gone but wanted to make sure before I decided to remove it.

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[sstuff3]

Update: The tree was taken down this morning and confirmed that it was insects (Palm Weevil). These were found inside the tree near the top (the grubs, by the handfuls). They were turning the center of the tree to mulch. Hope they leave the other one alone.

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[sstuff3]

Thanks for the update! But are you sure it is not the other way around? First hitted by lightning, after that the insects?
Arjen.

The tree was less than 2 meters from the front corner of the house. Been here since it was built 6 years ago and am pretty sure it was never hit by lightning.


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[cornishcarlos]

8 minutes ago, Arjen said:

Scary!!

 

 

Tasty !!

[drtreelove]

So, not due to low flying aircraft. 

 

That is red palm weevil and no it will not leave the other palm alone unless you do some serious preventive treatment. There is an association with the red palm weevil and the coconut rhinoceros beetle. The CRB initiates the infestation and bores the primary holes, where then the  RPW follows and lays its eggs, which hatch into the larvae that further feed in the crown of the tree.  Control the CRB and you will at the same time control the RPW. There are different methods available to do this.

• Sanitation is an important aspect. Clean up the debris, wood waste, compost piles, manure where the CRB breed and lay their eggs. 
• Biological control is possible but maybe not practical for one or two residential trees. 
• Systemic insecticide applied as soil drench or stem injection is effective, but only appropriate for non-food ornamental trees.
• A barrier insecticide application with a pyrethroid sprayed on the upper tree trunk and foliar crown, drenching deep into the terminal bud and frond bases is easy and cheap. This is only effective if you do it preventively, to repel and kill beetles and weevils that try to bore in and feed. You need to do this before you have an active infestation. Once they are inside the tree the pyrethroid is not systemic and won't get to them. 
• My choice for the preventive barrier and contract spray would be Chaindrite Stedfast 30 SC (bifenthrin is the active ingredient) Use a higher rate of solution than the standard label rate. Go with 50 or 60 ml of the concentrate per liter of water.  Although pyrethroids are relatively low toxicity for mammals, much less so than older generation insecticides, they are deadly for fish and bees,  Wear long sleeve shirt and pants, shoes and socks and avoid skin contact and use a mask to avoid breathing it. Especially if youre spraying overhead from a ladder.  Wash up after use.  This is a potent pyrethoid with a long residual effectiveness, more than cypermethrin. One application should last the rest of the season. I would spray again in two or three months to keep the concentration up.  Then start again in February.  Don

 

coconut_red_palm_weevil_180.pdf

coconut_rhinoceros_beetle__melanesian_057.pdf