Red Palm Weevil

Where it lives in Maltese properties

Attacks Canary Island date palm above all, plus date and other palms. Adults fly considerable distances and lay eggs in wounds, pruning cuts and the frond bases of the crown.

Signs of an infestation

You will usually notice the evidence long before you see the pest itself. Look for:

• Fronds turning yellow then collapsing, especially in the centre of the crown
• A lopsided or asymmetric crown as one side dies back
• Chewed fibre and reddish-brown ooze at frond bases
• Fibrous cocoons the size of a fist at the base of fronds or on the ground
• A faint fermenting smell and audible chewing from inside the trunk
• Holes in the trunk with gum or sawdust extrusion

Why it matters

The risks associated with red palm weevil in Malta:

• Kills mature palm trees, often within months of infestation
• Very high replacement cost for mature specimen palms
• Collapsing crowns and falling fronds are a genuine safety hazard
• Spreads quickly to neighbouring palms
• Infested palms must be treated or removed under plant health rules

How to prevent it

Prevention is always cheaper than treatment, and for this species it is genuinely effective:

• Avoid pruning between March and November, when fresh cuts attract egg-laying adults
• Seal every pruning wound immediately with an approved sealant
• Inspect the crown of every palm monthly during the season
• Apply preventative treatments to healthy palms in high-risk areas
• Never move or replant untreated palm material; report suspected infestation
• Buy palms only from a supplier who can show treatment records

How we treat red palm weevil

We run a palm protection programme combining crown drenching, trunk injection with authorised systemic products, pheromone mass-trapping to reduce local adult pressure, and scheduled inspection. Early-stage infestations can often be saved. Palms beyond recovery must be felled and disposed of correctly to protect neighbouring trees, and we handle that safely and legally.