800-901-1102Quick Facts Palm Weevil
Corky’s Palm Weevil Control Service
Hordes of highly damaging invasive pests, called South American Palm Weevils (SAPW) make their way from South America, through Mexico and into San Diego County a few years ago, infesting Canary Island date palms, and have been heading north since. Today, they are destroying more trees than ever before. Their menu now includes Coconut palms, various Date palms, African Oil palms, Sago and Washingtonian Fan palms. They also feed on sugar cane and ripe fruits such as avocados, guavas, mangos and papayas.
Weevils attack the meristematic tissues, or “palm heart” that produces new fronds. They use their long nostrum (snout) to bore holes and tunnels into the base of the palm fronds, in the crown region of the tree. The female will lay eggs inside the tunels. When the larvae hatch, they immediately burrow into the palm crown and begin feeding. Their feeding prodcess turns the palm crown into a fermenting mash, weakening the trees core. Affected trees can pose hazards to people and property as their fronds drop haphazdly and they can collapse without warning.
The South American palm weevil can also transmit another palm-killer, the red ring nematode, which has not been found in California to date, and Fusarium Wilt, an infectious fungal disease, that kills the palm and infects the soil surrounding the palm for years.
Once dead, or dying these trees must be removed, then destroyed, to prevent this weevil from migrating to healthy trees. Chipping, burning, and deeply burying infested debris can reduce the possibility of weevils bursting forth and escaping from infested palms. These processes are time consuming and costly.
It’s time to Save the Trees!
Corky’s Palm Weevil Control Service is designed to do just that, protect the trees. This service is designed to identify and repel weevil infestations.
- First, we inspect the trees and landscape for evidence of the South American Palm Weevil.
- Secondly, a systemic insecticide is injected into the soil where roots can distribute it throughout the tree especially up into the vulnerable crown area.
- Thirdly, a topical spraying of state approved products for the control of weevils, is applied to crown and fronds.
Services are bi-monthly and charged separately. Cost of service depends on number and size of trees to be treated. This service carries no implied guarantees since Palm Weevils fly in, migrating from surrounding properties. We do guarantee to perform the service and apply the treatments described above.
Corky’s Ultimate Pest Control Service, is a year-round treatment program for ants and spiders which also includes control and preventative measures for aphids, whitefly, ticks, mosquitoes and more. Having this year-round control service puts a professional pest technician on your property regularly, that can monitor landscape health and catch infestations in the making.
Call Corky’s today 1-800-801-1102 or schedule a service online. We’re here to help you!