Post-Winter 2026 Results Thread

[Ben G.]

2 hours ago, Chester B said:

That's a good point,  I'm not sure why I hadn't though of that.  Last winter my hybrid Livistona went through winter and seemed fine, but started to go downhill fast and spear pulled like this.  The previous summer it had a quarter sized tunnel opening at the base and to me it looked like a hole from an underground mammal.  I covered it a few times but it would come back, and the I covered it with a rock and a new hole appeared elsewhere.  The palm ended up dying and when I removed it, it had a large hole bored into it, so it was being eaten from the bottom.  After I learned on here it was likely an ox beetle I have been vigilant ever since.  I did find enormous beetle larvae in that garden too, so it all made sense.  They first started showing up around April last year and I would have to check on the palms every morning, and would find new holes every few days and flood the beetles out and destroy them.  This lasted for around 6 weeks and then no more holes after that.

So @Ben G. do you remember any holes at all last summer?

I haven't noticed any holes at the base, though I haven't inspected the base closely. With all of the old leaf bases around the bottom, I have not gotten a good look. 

I know what I will be doing after work today though. 

[amh]

3 hours ago, Chester B said:

That's a good point,  I'm not sure why I hadn't though of that.  Last winter my hybrid Livistona went through winter and seemed fine, but started to go downhill fast and spear pulled like this.  The previous summer it had a quarter sized tunnel opening at the base and to me it looked like a hole from an underground mammal.  I covered it a few times but it would come back, and the I covered it with a rock and a new hole appeared elsewhere.  The palm ended up dying and when I removed it, it had a large hole bored into it, so it was being eaten from the bottom.  After I learned on here it was likely an ox beetle I have been vigilant ever since.  I did find enormous beetle larvae in that garden too, so it all made sense.  They first started showing up around April last year and I would have to check on the palms every morning, and would find new holes every few days and flood the beetles out and destroy them.  This lasted for around 6 weeks and then no more holes after that.

So @Ben G. do you remember any holes at all last summer?

I had an issue with the ox beetle last year and lost about 10 Sabal minor. When I looked at the pictures that @Ben G., I saw a similar pattern of the newer growth dying. It could be freeze or freezing rain damage, but I would look for bore holes.

 

 

[Chester B]

The beetles seem to show a preference for Sabals but they have attacked my needle palms and Livistona.  
 

I’m not sure if they are in San Antonio though.  I thought they were more relegated to the more humid and wetter areas along the gulf coast.  

[Ben G.]

1 hour ago, Chester B said:

The beetles seem to show a preference for Sabals but they have attacked my needle palms and Livistona.  
 

I’m not sure if they are in San Antonio though.  I thought they were more relegated to the more humid and wetter areas along the gulf coast.  

I have no experience with these beetles, but I read that they can be found all the way west into Arizona.

That said, I found no evidence of beetles on or around my Sabals today. Given the timing, I am pretty positive that my palms just reacted really poorly to freezing rain because they are not as established as I thought they were/should be.

It was definitely worth looking into the beetle alternative though. 

[Chester B]

11 hours ago, Ben G. said:

I have no experience with these beetles, but I read that they can be found all the way west into Arizona.

That said, I found no evidence of beetles on or around my Sabals today. Given the timing, I am pretty positive that my palms just reacted really poorly to freezing rain because they are not as established as I thought they were/should be.

It was definitely worth looking into the beetle alternative though. 

You may not see any holes they could be gone by now.  I would watch out for any tunnels near the base of your palms starting in April.   I inspect daily, as I have lost a small palm when I forget to to check that one for two days.

It would be best to remove that grass around your palms at least a few feet.  Better for the palm overall and you'll be able to see any tunneling easily.

[Las Palmas Norte]

2 hours ago, Chester B said:

...I inspect daily, as I have lost a small palm when I forget to to check that one for two days. ...

Does anyone use a sticky insect barrier, or are these able to overcome an impermeable boundary like that? Constant inspection for these must be an annoyance.

 

[Chester B]

2 hours ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

Does anyone use a sticky insect barrier, or are these able to overcome an impermeable boundary like that? Constant inspection for these must be an annoyance.

 

People have tried all sorts of things without luck.  They are like the size of a walnut and very strong. I would not use sticky tape, there are so many other small animals in my yard that I don't want to harm.

They seem to have a season, last year it was around 6 weeks.  When the palms get to a certain size they are safe.  Considering there are tens of thousands of Sabals growing in the wild around me, you'd think the chances of encountering one would be low but If I remember correctly I killed about 10 of them last year.

[Las Palmas Norte]

21 hours ago, Chester B said:

People have tried all sorts of things without luck.  They are like the size of a walnut and very strong. I would not use sticky tape, there are so many other small animals in my yard that I don't want to harm.

They seem to have a season, last year it was around 6 weeks.  When the palms get to a certain size they are safe.  Considering there are tens of thousands of Sabals growing in the wild around me, you'd think the chances of encountering one would be low but If I remember correctly I killed about 10 of them last year.

Yes. The sticky entrapments are non-selective. As far as I'm aware, there's no predatory insects around here, at least none capable of boring or killing a palm Thankfully.