Bug Attack

[TBWG]

Hi

My prized Bismarkia Palm/Blue Palm has been attacked by red & black coloured beetles inch - inch and a half long with long thin needle like nose.

Well they have bored into the fronds where they attach to the trunk. Left some egg type thing in a cigar shaped fiber covering which then produces a grub which looks like a giant maggot on steroids! These things have managed to reduce a perfectly healthy tree to a rotten stinking trunk in only 2 months!

I am now left with just the trunk which I have cut back too firm stock ~~~~~~~ my question is will it eventually sprout a fresh leaf or am I deluding myself.

I was prepared to give up on it but a similar tho (not Bismarkia Palm) looked a write off in the local nursery but lo and behold a new leaf did eventually appear!.

Any advice appreciated.

TBWG

[TBWG]

Hmmm

A quick google identifies the culprit as Red Palm Weevil.

From what I have read I am not hopeful!

TBWG

[tracker1]

Normally once the centre of a palm has gone for any reason it is doomed

[drtreelove]

Yes you are probably right, red palm weevil is the likely suspect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhynchophorus_ferrugineus

Your palm as you have described the condition, will probably not recover, but give it time and water. If it does, and/or if you have other palms (RPW infests many species), prevention of an infestation is the name of the game. Once a tree is heavily infested it is probably too late to save it.

Sanitation is a necessity, culling infested trees and properly disposing of material, etc. Chemical preventive controls can include spraying with a pyrethroid pesticide barrier, like Cypermethrin, or Permethrin 10% mixed strong (400 ml per 20 liter of water, with a spreader/sticker) to provide a several months residual barrier against these insects. Sub surface soil injection of a systemic insecticide, like Imidicloprid, is another alternative for non-food palms. Organic pest control may be effective, but more time and cost intensive. I haven't had the opportunity to use Neem oil extract, but it is an effective repellant and reproductive interuptor for many insect pests. The problem is that it would take repeated treatments at 7 to 10 day intervals to achieve effective control. This is not practical or cost effective for most people.

Mine is not the final word on controls; I've only just began to work on this problem and don't have the experience that I do with other beetle/borer problems on pines and oaks and other trees in California. Please let me know if you come across professionals with an effective program.

RPW along with coconut rhinocerous beetle and coconut palm hispid beelte are major pests of coconut palms and ornamentals. Hispid beetles have a biological control alternative.

[UdeBoCM]

Normally once the centre of a palm has gone for any reason it is doomed

Normally, but not always: I have had palm resurrection after loosing all leaves and even new centre leaf. Try stuffing the top part of the tree with tobacco leaves or residue: it act as a perfect insect repellent. I have seen rice farmers spreading tobacco residue at the time of planting and it seems to keep all bugs away. I have been told that too by farmers in India. I am searching now for tobacco seeds or small plants, but have no idea where to find any here around C.Mai. Anyone can help?

[TBWG]

Hi

Thanks for all the input folks, much appreciated ~~~ it appears that I have nothing to loose by leaving the stump in place and hoping for the best. That bug sure is the one.

Attached is a pic taken in 2009 it is (was) a strong healthy tree so I feel I have a reasonable chance of possible recovery, TLC and time will tell.

Thanks again

TBWG