EVIL WEEVIL ATTACKS CANARY ISLAND PALMS

Have you noticed the droopy umbrella shape some palms in University Heights have taken on? A South American palm weevil is the culprit. This button-sized insect lays its eggs in the crown of the tree, and once hatched, the weevil larvae feast on the palm’s soft tissue, crippling growth and eventually killing the tree. By the time you see a droopy palm, it’s too late. The tree is already dead. Local tree experts and the UC Riverside Center for Invasive Species Research (CISR) recommend removing dead and dying trees, which can harbor larvae and therefore spread the infestation. Insecticide treatments can provide insurance against the weevil, as well, but experts warn against do-it-yourself treatments, which are dangerous to you and the rest of the environment. It’s best to call an expert. Mission Hills Nursery (619-295-2808) and Walter Anderson Nursery (619-224- 8271) can recommend arborists and tree service professionals who can help. And please assist CISR by reporting sightings of infested palms, which they will add to their Google Earth database for monitoring spread of the weevil. You can report infested and dead palms via the CISR website at this address: https://cisr.ucr.edu/invasive-species/palmarum-survey. --Nan McGraw and Judith Annicchiarico