In recent years there is increasingly talking about the red awl of the palm, a weeds that is rapidly spreading throughout Italy and causing significant damage to ornamental and fruit palm trees. The choleottero Rhynchophorus ferruginus, originally from southern Asia and melania, is particularly harmful because it digs inside the trunk and the tissues of the plant, compromising the vascular system.
The first appearance in Europe dates back to 1994 in Spain, while in Italy the red awl has been reported since 2005 in regions such as Tuscany, Sicily, Campania, Lazio and Puglia. Despite the prevention campaigns, the weed continues to represent a concrete threat to the national green heritage as demonstrated by the case of San Severo, in the province of Foggia, where it was necessary to proceed with the reduction of 58 irreparably compromised specimens.
How the plant attacks
The red awl completes the entire life cycle inside the palm. The adult female lays up to 300 eggs in the small cavities of the trunk or at the base of the cut leaves. After a few days the larvae that start to dig galleries in the fabrics of the plant are born, feeding on the sap and creating large tunnels.
The period of larval development varies from 1 to 3 months, after which the larvae impute in a cylindrical casing called Pupario, generally located in the external parts of the stem or spine. Adults, between 3 and 4 cm long, can remain inside the plant for several days before flying towards new palm trees, further spreading the infestation. More generations can overlap, accelerating the death of the plant.
Symptoms and how to recognize infestation
Identifying an infestation in the initial phases is essential to save the plant. Among the main symptoms are indicated:
Promptly recognizing these signals increases the possibilities of recovery of the palm. The red length infestation not only compromises the aesthetics of green spaces, but also represents a threat to public safety. Sick palms can in fact suddenly collapse, causing damage to people and things.
For this reason it is good to regularly monitor the plants by inspecting the hair and trunk to identify the signs of infestation as soon as possible. Contrasting it means protecting biodiversity and balance of local ecosystems and avoiding economic damage in the agricultural and tourist fields.
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