Best treatment against the red palm weevil for 2023

The red palm weevil is one of the greatest threats to the life of palm trees. In this regard, endotherapy is the most effective treatment available against the red palm weevil in 2023 – though it’s not the only one. There are others, each with their own specific characteristics.

Types of treatment for red palm weevils in palm trees

There are several different types of treatment that can be used to combat red palm weevil infestations. These are the main ones.

Pesticide foliar shower

This is a very simple technique based on the following process:

• Soak the palm tree’s “bud” – located at the base of the crown – in a pesticide solution.
• Apply the solution without pressure to encourage the insecticide to enter through the perforations made by the larvae.

This causes the bud to become saturated with the solution and eliminates the weevils.

The risk of this technique is that it can result in the appearance of fungus, due to excess moisture in the bud, and that the application of insecticides – which will end up spilling onto the area around the palm tree – can be harmful to the environment. It is only recommended when the attack is located in the bud, as it won’t be effective for attacks to the sides and base of the trunk.

Nematode foliar shower

Nematodes are microscopic organisms that live in the soil. This treatment consists in applying a specific species, Steinernema carpocapsae, that is effective against red palm weevil larvae.

This treatment is complex, as it involves living beings which require special handling, cannot survive in high temperatures and act slowly.  It is only recommended when the attack is located in the bud, as it won’t be effective for attacks to the sides and base of the trunk.

Eco-friendly insecticide foliar shower

This treatment works as follows:

• Apply the dose of a mixture of authorised eco-friendly products to the bud to reach the larvae where they eat.
• These products require special handling and professional evaluation.
• It is only recommended when the attack is located in the bud, as it won’t be effective for attacks to the sides and base of the trunk.

Entomopathogenic fungi

In this technique, the Beauveria bassiana fungus infects red palm weevil  larvae and adults and slowly kills them. What is more, the spores rise to the surface, allowing them to infect other weevils.

Red palm weevil traps

This system is often used to monitor and capture red palm weevils. It uses sexual attractants (pheromones) and food attractants (kairomones).

The best treatment against red palm weevils in 2023

However, compared to the options mentioned above, the best treatment for red palm weevils in 2023 is, without a doubt, endotherapy.

This treatment for palm trees infested with red palm weevils offers the best results to eliminate and prevent infestations. It offers benefits such as:

• Avoiding contamination to the palm tree or its surroundings.
• It is sustainable and safe, as it causes no damage to the environment or people.
• Simple and effective application, with just a small amount of insecticide.
• It is affordable.

Its frequency will depend on the insecticide used and the process is carried out in four steps:

• Drilling the trunk.
• Inserting the pipette.
• Applying mastic sealant.
• Opening the cap and inserting the dose of insecticide.

As the technique is highly efficient, many palm trees can be protected thanks to this simple procedure. It involves injecting an insecticide inside the trunk, which kills the larvae and protects the tree.

As we have seen, several effective treatments are available to fight red palm weevil larvae and prevent their harmful effect on the palm tree. However, the most effective and least expensive of these is endotherapy. We at Sospalm recommend this technique as it yields the best results.