Frequently Asked Questions
How can I report infestations of South American Palm Weevil?
Researchers are collecting information on new SAPW infestations. Let them know if you find SAPW on your property by clicking the button below and following the instructions on the page.
What can I do to protect my trees from the South American Palm Weevil?
Visually inspect, trap, and report infestations.
INSPECT
Visually inspect your tree(s) at regular intervals for signs and symptoms of palm weevil:
- Crown Signs/Symptoms: burrowing larva and roaming adults, putrid smell, damaged newly emerging fronds, frass
- Frond Signs/Symptoms: holes, notched leaves, yellowing, crown drooping
- Trunk Signs/Symptoms: holes near palm heart, and other physical damage, weevil excrement, pupal cases near base of trunk.
TRAP
The two most common trapping methods are a home-made 1 to 5-gallon bucket trap or a commercial Picusan trap.
There are three attractants needed:
- An aggregation pheromone
- Ethyl acetate
- Food baits: sugarcane, pineapple, apple, chopped dates.
Traps can be placed on the ground or suspended from a pole or tree at least 150 meters away from the palms you wish to monitor. Lures should be replaced every six weeks.
More information on trapping can be found in Management Options.
REPORT
Report infestations using the button at the top of the page.
South American palm weevil (SAPW) was first detected by trapping in San Ysidro in May 2011. Since then, this weevil has heavily infested the Bonita and Chula Vista areas of South San Diego and has been found in traps as far North as San Marcos.
Current research shows that SAPW is an aggressive pest targeting palm trees, mainly Canary Island date palms, near the Tijuana/San Diego Border and moving north.
Where did this pest come from and how did it get here?
SAPW is invasive to California. This pest is native to southern Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. In 2010, SAPW was found on an infested Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis) in Tijuana, MX. A year later in 2011, SAPW was found about five miles north of Tijuana in monitoring traps in San Ysidro, southern San Diego County. It is likely that SAPW established in San Ysidro in or before 2014.
Early SAPW detections include San Ysidro in 2011 (Bech 2011), Alamo, Texas in 2012 (El-Lissy 2012), and Yuma, Arizona in 2015 (El-Lissy 2015). There have not been any reports of SAPW in Texas or Arizona causing palm mortality.
What plants do the South American Palm Weevil attack and kill?
PRIMARY HOSTS:
- coconut
- African oil palm
- assai palm
- sago palm
- Canary Island date palm
- date palm
- sugarcane
SECONDARY HOSTS:
- pineapple
- custard apple
- Fosberg breadfruit
- papaya
- citrus
- mango
- banana
- avocado
- guava
- cocoa
ADULT SAPW CAN FEED ON:
- gru gru palm
- pineapple
- sugar apple
- soursop
- black Roseau palm
- bamboo
- beet
- turnip
- paw paw
- bamboo palm
- watermelon
- orange
- dasheen
- cucumber
- pumpkin
- wild carrot
- Burrowing larva and roaming adults
- Characteristic putrid smell
- Damaged/notched newly emerging fronds
- Frass (weevil excrement)
- Drooping of the crown
- Holes in fronds or frond sheaths
- Yellowing starting from the newest leaves and going down into the crown
- Pupal cases near the base of the trunk
How fast is this pest spreading?
Lab studies suggest that SAPW can fly 15 miles per day or more if the beetle chooses to do so. It is speculated that achieving this distance may be possible in nature and could result in areas lacking of suitable hosts to attack. SAPW adults generally only fly during daylight hours and some studies indicate that they may only fly 1 mile throughout the day. Invasive pests like the SAPW are oftentimes unintentionally moved by humans to non-infested areas. It is a best practice to abstain from moving SAPW hosts out of infested regions to decrease the possibility of accidental weevil introductions into non-infested areas.
For more information...
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