"Worst Known Pest of Palm Trees" Discovered

[Just1MorePalm]

By Jack Noyes

NBCLosAngeles.com NBCLosAngeles.com

updated 2 hours 59 minutes ago 2010-10-19T12:46:22

A symbol of Southern California -- the palm tree -- was under attack Monday in Laguna Beach by "the world's worst pest of palm trees.”

Monday California State Agricultural officials announced in a news release on their website they had confirmed the "detection of a red palm weevil in the Laguna Beach area of Orange County - the first-ever detection of the pest in the United States. The weevil is considered to be the world’s worst pest of palm trees. An infestation typically results in the death of the tree."

The news release went on to note ""This invasive pest is a threat not only to our nursery growers and date palm farmers,”" said California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Secretary A.G. Kawamura. "“It also endangers all of the decorative palms that are so common in our landscape and so much a part of the classic California backdrop. I would like to express my gratitude to the landscape contractor who originally reported this pest. He is a Good Samaritan who did the right thing when he took the time to notify local agricultural authorities, and he has given us a very valuable head-start in our efforts.""

If you have any information about a suspected infestation please call CDFA Pest Hotline at at 1-800-491-1899

[Takil-Explorer]

How is the situation across the border in Mexico? If this insects are going to infest wild palm popultions it will be a dissater! The only way to get it under control is to find a natural predator of it! They do not only live on palms but also Agave and sugarcane are not save for it. So they could spread trough dessert areas with Agaves but no palms to oder areas I guess. And whom is going to destoy them in remote dessert areas?

Alexander

[garrin]

PLEASE! Don't send any palms in the mail uninspected from CA or anywhere else to Hawai'i!!

[Ferry]

There is already one discussion group on that topic: Red palm weevil in Laguna beach. I think that it would be more interesting to have only one discussion group to avoid repetition and to make the discussion richer.

Best regards

Michel