Red palm weevil in the Caribbean

[Hugh Harries]

"Palms in their various guises are a central feature of the landscape in most countries in the
Caribbean basin where they play a multifunctional role. For many people, the archetype of the
Caribbean as a tourist destination is beautiful landscapes of palms, sand, and water. There are
many species of palms in the Caribbean, but perhaps the most obvious are coconut palms. Not
surprisingly, palms are an important feature in most tourist amenity and residential areas. The
importance of coconut palms (Arecaceae: Cocos nucifera L.) has increased considerably in
recent times. An article in Fortune magazine (June 14, 2010) stated that during the previous two
years, sales of coconut water had more than doubled to US$60 million. While there has been no
comprehensive assessment of the economic impact of palms, it is clear that this is highly
significant. In recent years, palms have been facing several new pest/disease threats such as
lethal yellowing (causal agent: mycoplasma-like organism), red palm mite (Raoiella indica
Hirst), and spiraling whitefly (Aleurodicus dispersus [Russell]), among others. The most recent
threat, however, is posed by red palm weevil (RPW), Rhyncophorus ferrugineus, an Asian
species that was first reported in the Western Hemisphere in Curacao about two years ago."

THE RED PALM WEEVIL, RHYNCHOPHORUS FERRUGINEUS, A NEW PEST
THREAT IN THE CARIBBEAN: BIOLOGY AND OPTIONS FOR MANAGEMENT……...87
Moses T. K. Kairo, Amy Roda, Wayne De Chi, Teophilo Damian, Facundo Franken,
Kenny Heidweiller, Clinton Johanns, and Jorge Leon
CARIBBEAN FOOD CROPS SOCIETY
Forty Sixth Annual Meeting 2010
Boca Chica, Dominican Republic
Vol. XLVI – Number 2
T-STAR Invasive Species Symposium