Certain species of plants and trees cannot for the present be carried between Malta and Gozo, the plant health department of the Rural Affairs and the Environment Ministry said yesterday.

The reason is the identification in recent weeks of a new insect in Malta, which has not yet reached Gozo. The insect, bumunqar ahmar tal-palm, or rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier), affects certain species of palm trees.

The species of plants and trees which cannot for the present be carried between the two islands are: Areca catechu, Arenga pinnata, Borassus flabellifer, Calamusmerillii, Caryota maxima, Caryota cumingii, Cocos nucifera, Corypha gebanga, Corypha elata, Elaeis guineensis, Livistona decipiens, Metroxylon sagu, Oreodoxa regia, Phoenix canariensis, Phoenix dactylifera, Phoenix theophrasti, Phoenix sylvestris, Sabal umbraculifera, Trachycarpus fortunei and Washingtonia spp.

The Department of Information said a meeting is being held at the Gozo Ministry on Friday, 16 November at 3.30pm to explain the impact of the insect and measures to combat it. The meeting is open to all, especially garden centre owners, gardeners and farmers.

More information may be obtained from the plant health department, tel 2339 7223, or from the department’s website

http://www.planthealth.gov.mt/Downloads/red_palm_weevil.pdf