# palm tree disease



## MrB (Jun 2, 2010)

I've come across several homes that have palm trees suffering from this disease in the Algarve.

One owner caught a beetle, it's nearly 2 inches long, and lays eggs in the trees. Owners spray up to 3 times a year against it.

Seems a good business to get into!


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

These beetles or weevils are decimating palm trees in the Algarve and it is spreading north! We saw many of them earlier in the year in a really sorry state on our visit south. A tree expert friend expalined why this could be a serious devetation of palm trees in Portugal

Early detection of infestation of the Red Palm Weevil is difficult as the larvae that damage the palm live inside the stems and base of leaves. Unfortunately, symptoms of infestation, are not visible until it is serious. And it spreads very fast.
There is NO cure there is only prevention!
*All dead palms or palms beyond recovery should be cut and burned to eradicate the pest inside.*

Signs of an infestation includes:
leaves of the adult palm crown wilt and die; 
holes in the leaf bases; chewed fibre at the base of stem or edge of leaves. 

It seems that by the time these external symptoms are observed the damage is usually sufficient to kill the tree!
If you place your ear against the palm you can hear the lavae munching away 

One of the main problems causing the beetle to spead is infested palms are being left to die, untreated and thusallowing the weevils to move on to a healthy palm unchecked.

*Professional advice should be sought for treatment or removal of the infested palm.*



http://www.aambiental.org/PalmWeevil/


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