Oral Presentation Science Protecting Plant Health 2017

Palmageddon: The ongoing invasion problem with palm killing weevils (4558)

Mark S Hoddle 1
  1. Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA

Weevils in the genus Rhynchophorus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are well known palm pests in their native and invaded ranges, of which the most notorious is the highly invasive and incredibly destructive red palm weevil, R. ferrugineus. However, two other weevil species, R. vulneratus and the South American palm weevil, R. palmarum, have emerged as potential invasive threats, with both recently establishing in California (USA). This presentation will review the invasion problems posed by R. ferrugineus to palms, especially Canary Islands date palms, Phoenix canariensis, in urban areas, and date palms, P. dactylifera, in date production areas of the Middle East and the Maghreb Region of North Africa. The successful eradication of R. vulneratus from Laguna Beach in southern California will be reviewed, and updates on the ongoing invasion in southern California by R. palmarum, the vector of the pathogenic nematode, Bursaphelenchus cocophilus, that causes lethal red ring disease of palms, will be provided. This presentation will also cover developments in the use of drones to monitor palm mortality and consider the potential use of smart traps to remotely monitor weevil activity and report captures in near real time by emerging technologies that exploit the Internet of Things (IoT).