The red palm weevil as an alien invasive: biology and the prospects for biological control as a component of IPM

Abstract

The red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, invaded the Gulf states in the mid-1980s, where it is now causing severe damage to date palms. This polyphagous insect is widely found in southern Asia and Melanesia where it is a well-known problem for the damage it causes to coconuts grown in plantations. In this region, the weevil is sympatric with four other Asian Rhynchophorusspecies but the taxonomic status of some of these is unclear and some may be conspecific with the red palm weevil. Current tactics to manage the weevil in the Gulf and Asia are largely based on insecticide applications although there are now deep concerns about environmental pollution. Much research has been conducted on other techniques, notably pheromone traps. However, there is now a strong emphasis on the development of integrated pest management (IPM) based on pheromone traps and biological control rather than insecticides. Here we review the biogeography, basis of population outbreaks and current management tactics for the red palm weevil and related species, and then assess the potential of biological control to underpin the development of an IPM programme for it.