The Rhynchophorus Ferrugineus or Red Palm Weevil is an insect that attacks various types of plants, especially palms, developing inside the infested plants.
Adults are usually attracted to damaged, diseased or poorly pruned plants but infestation of healthy plants is also possible.
Once a suitable palm has been identified, the males release an aggregation pheromone capable of attracting many individuals, in order to promote reproductive success.
The females lay their eggs in holes made in the parts that offer less resistance, which in about three days hatch giving birth to larvae.
These begin to devour the softest tissue of the plant by digging even very deep tunnels, which can undermine the stability of the palm until it falls.
For interventions, in the fight against the weevil, different systems can be used: endotherapy, spraying the foliage and root absorption.
To obtain good results, combined interventions are often used, and in particular endotherapy and foliar spraying.
Endotherapy is a particular technique which exploits the transport of the solution from the roots to the leaves: using suitable injectors and equipment, solutions of insecticides, fungicides and/or nutrients are injected into the conducting vessels.
Some of the advantages of this methodology are:
- - Low environmental impact
- - Control over numerous masts
- - Treatments of suffering trees
- - Combined interventions
