- Author: Saoimanu Sope
Published on: November 6, 2023

A South American palm weevil can fly for as long as five hours. “They are on a death mission when they fly long distances – find food or die trying!" says Mark Hoddle, UC Cooperative Extension entomology specialist. Photo courtesy of Mark Hoddle
More than 20,000 palms in the region have been killed by South American palm weevil
The swaying palm trees that line San Diego's streets might not be swaying much longer due to a pest that is infecting many of these iconic trees and making its way across Southern California.
The South American palm weevil (SAPW), also referred to as the American palm weevil and black palm weevil, was first detected in San Diego County in 2011, with breeding populations found in a Canary Island date palm in San Ysidro in 2015. According to industry experts, more than 20,000 palms in the region have been killed by SAPW thus far.
While SAPW can attack a variety...
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Public Value:
UCANR: Protecting California's natural resources
Focus Area Tags: Environment
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