BIG poblem with date palm

flowerfairy


Joined: 17/09/2008
Posts: 1277

Message Posted:
04/08/2010 09:46

I have a wonderful date palm, which is the main feature in my front garden. It's looking really sad and

I've discovered that it is being eaten away by a bug !!!!!!!! The first symptom was the edges of the leaves

began to look a bit brown, we thought it was wind burn, then the stubs on the 'pineapple bit' were very loose

and we could just pill them away.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Lambousa Gordon


Joined: 03/11/2007
Posts: 1992

Message Posted:
04/08/2010 11:01

Hi FF,



This may well be down to the Red Palm Weevil (imported to us courtesy of Girne Belediye) now endangering all Phoenix Dactylera (Date Palms) in Cyprus.



If your tree is too long gone I'm sorry but it must be uprooted and burned immediately to stop the spread. The Belediye will do this.



Otherwise, preventative measures are:



BLUE "stickers" available from the address below.

Konfidor or Efedor spraying once a month. Solution to be diluted 30cc for every 100 litres of water.



Various insecticides are available from GOEM TICARET near the hospital in Girne.



Good Luck.

flowerfairy


Joined: 17/09/2008
Posts: 1277

Message Posted:
04/08/2010 12:28

Thanks Gordon,

I rang the beledesi this morning, they said they don't deal with trees. My friend is trying to contact the ministry

of forestry (i think that's what it's called). I don't fancy attempting to burn it, after the blaze in Karsiyaka last

week. I would prefer someone proffesional to do it if need be in controlled conditions.

Apart from losing my lovely tree, it was beautiful, I'm concerned for the other palms in our vicinity.

spangles


Joined: 22/10/2008
Posts: 411

Message Posted:
04/08/2010 13:43

flowerfairy - yes, it happened to mine last year in Alsancak and was Red Palm Weevil. If you look in the "pineapple stubs" you will find the cocoons (hundreds of the blighters) and beetles. I'm afraid your tree is doomed. The council will cut it down. Ideally it should be buried to prevent the beetles emerging, as burning a freshly cut palm is nigh on impossible.



Google Red Palm Weevil for pictures and info.

flowerfairy


Joined: 17/09/2008
Posts: 1277

Message Posted:
04/08/2010 13:58

Thankyou spangles, I'm absolutely gutted, it was a brilliant specimen. When you say 'the council', do you mean the belli, as they said it wasn't their department this morning?

Looks like hubby had better get the excavator out!!!!!

spangles


Joined: 22/10/2008
Posts: 411

Message Posted:
05/08/2010 09:45

Flowerfairy - I know how you feel mine was the same. The worse thing is you can actually hear it being eaten. The belediye won't/can't treat a tree, all they will do is cut it down and try to burn it. They did come out within half an hour of me reporting it.



Good Luck.

flowerfairy


Joined: 17/09/2008
Posts: 1277

Message Posted:
05/08/2010 13:28

Hi Spangles,

I've been reading on websites about this infestation. There are reports that is has been found it Spain, but no mention of Cyprus. I feel this it is so important to dispose of the palm correctly, as we could lose all the palms on the Island if it spreads. Apparantly the b''''''''''ers fly!!!!

chinaeyes


Joined: 13/02/2009
Posts: 425

Message Posted:
05/08/2010 13:32

Flower,is Lapta Belly going to come to you and dispose of the palm,this is indeed very serious.It's impossible for you to burn it yourselves and sounds like quite large.

flowerfairy


Joined: 17/09/2008
Posts: 1277

Message Posted:
05/08/2010 13:40

Chinaeyes,

no, the belly weren't really interested. I even told him to google the Red palm weevil, which he did.

We can't burn it, as it's too dangerous being so dry. We've been told to dig it out, Mmmm, it's approx ten years old!!!, so the pineapple bit is about 5 feet high, and quite fat.

Then wrap it in polythene and cover it with lime, then bury it!!!!!

Anyone know of a date palm grave digger????????

leapylee


Joined: 21/03/2010
Posts: 83

Message Posted:
05/08/2010 13:42

Oh No! Our 5 year old Palm died this spring and we replaced it. Gardens of Babel obviously did not know of a problem in May when we asked what may have happened. Fingers X-ed it will still be alive when we get back in September with our neighbours' TLC.

flowerfairy


Joined: 17/09/2008
Posts: 1277

Message Posted:
05/08/2010 13:44

Hi Leapylee,

this is why I'm going to scream from the trees, pardon the pun. If this isn't contained, we could lose all the date palms on the island. Google Red palm weevil, it's scary.

chinaeyes


Joined: 13/02/2009
Posts: 425

Message Posted:
05/08/2010 13:45

Does anyone know the telephone number of the Mayor in Lapta,Mr Namsoy,if so please let Flower Fairy know.

I'm sure he will get to the ROOT OF IT [ sorry could'nt resist]

Maybe Lambousa Gordon could give him a ring on your behalf and he knows such a lot of people on the Island.

Please someone help Flower Fairy out.

flowerfairy


Joined: 17/09/2008
Posts: 1277

Message Posted:
05/08/2010 14:16

Hey, Leapylee,

what did you do with your dead date palm? Also, what area do you live in, I'm just wondering how far this blighter has travelled.

Has anyone elso lost a date palm ?????

janjin



Joined: 10/04/2008
Posts: 488

Message Posted:
05/08/2010 23:10

Sorry to say but there were a few palms looking like they needed a dose of Viagra in Esentepe which where healthier looking 2009. It's so sad!

flowerfairy


Joined: 17/09/2008
Posts: 1277

Message Posted:
06/08/2010 00:53

Oh dear, thanks for your info Janlin, I really feel this is becoming serious. I think I'd better start shouting from the rooves now as so many people are losing their palms and don't realise why.

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
06/08/2010 08:41

The ones in Esentepe were just left to die by the gone bust builders....

ozankoys


Joined: 20/06/2008
Posts: 905

Message Posted:
06/08/2010 08:49

This problem is not new to Cyprus, it was last year or even the year before after all those palms were imported that it was brought here. You may remember seeing lots of plastic lamp looking things hung from a large number of the palms these are traps which entice the weevils into them where they eventually die.

Must admit have not seen any of these recently expect they had one batch imported & then did not bother to get any more.

Apparently if the infestation is not too bad they will kill all the weevils and the tree can be saved - obviously this will only work with trees that have only recently been affected.

chinaeyes


Joined: 13/02/2009
Posts: 425

Message Posted:
06/08/2010 13:09

Flower

Have you managed to get rid of your infested palm yet?Did the Lapta Belly come out for you in the end ,please let us all know the outcome.

cyprusairsoft



Joined: 22/06/2009
Posts: 2066

Message Posted:
06/08/2010 13:18

do they spread to other types of palm

flowerfairy


Joined: 17/09/2008
Posts: 1277

Message Posted:
06/08/2010 22:32

Chinaeyes, no joy from the belli., Fahri called this evening, he's going to cut it up and burn it, obviously in controlled conditions.

Cyprusairsoft, I think the red palm weevils only attack the date palm, not 100 percent sure. There is a lot of information if you google it.

Ozankoys, thankyou for that info., I was unaware that it had been detected before. The problem we had

is that by the time we noticed anything wrong, it was too late.

I would suggest to anyone with date palms, google the red palm weevil, there are pictures to show the symptoms.

Thankyou all for your interest and concern, lets just hope this can be contained, it would be awful if we lost all the date palms.

judyr


Joined: 07/07/2009
Posts: 956

Message Posted:
08/11/2010 16:34

We have just lost a palm in Ozankoy. It wasn't until we heard the chomping in the other trees that we realised what it was! We have a further 4 palms in very close proximity that we have sprayed with potentially lethal insecticide, as advised for this very "bug" by the Mediterranean Gardener. Still digging out the live beetles and the cocoons from the carcus of the dead tree but seems we are only scratching the surface as these blighters are still alive!!!!

judyr


Joined: 07/07/2009
Posts: 956

Message Posted:
08/11/2010 16:45

Apparently if the infestation is not too bad they will kill all the weevils and the tree can be saved - obviously this will only work with trees that have only recently been affected.



Have had a look at the other 4 palms and there are no visible signs of any damage yet. Does anyone know where these "lamp like" objects can be obtained. Hopefully we still may be able to entice these things out!

We now have a pepsi bottle of them - I am sure Ray Mears would find a use for them!!!

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
08/11/2010 19:36

I believe 'Konfidor' is a good spray to use to prevent/eradicate 'curl leaf' in citrus fruit trees - it was very expensive in the South, but I don't know the price here.



Comments please!

yrret


Joined: 17/08/2010
Posts: 761

Message Posted:
08/11/2010 19:46

Brinsley's been dating his palm for years!!

flowerfairy


Joined: 17/09/2008
Posts: 1277

Message Posted:
08/11/2010 20:57

judyr, the problem is, you don't realise the palm is infested until it's too late. Ours was being eaten

alive by the blighters. Hope you're luckier than we were.

tarry67


Joined: 16/05/2008
Posts: 1053

Message Posted:
08/11/2010 22:48

My gardener said it is now all over Cyprus since they imported palms from some infested country, Egypt someone said. Now having the 2nd palm cut down.