The Red Palm weevil infestation has hit Nerja’s holiday resort on the Costa del Sol in Spain hard. Some of Malta’s palm trees have now fallen victim to this nasty little critter and we should be more than preoccupied. Immediate action must been taken by the local authorities lest we end up with this very same devastation.

The (date) palm tree is the oldest cultivated tree in the history of mankind ever recorded; there is absolutely no mention whatsoever in the Bible’s history or in early history books of the Red Palm weevil’s existence or destruction. So how old or how recent has this pest (RPW) existed on this earth? Could the Red Palm weevil be as old as the dinosaurs (even before Ape to Adam times), possibly living then on other vegetation before introducing themselves at a later stage to a large variety and species of palm trees growing in the wild and then on to cultivated palm trees through evolution.

Everybody’s guess would be as good as mine. Could global warming be yet another cause for the RPW to take advantage of our (warm) climate change, and comfortable enough for it to set up residence in Malta as a permanent tourist pest (on free board and lodging), to increase and multiply until the last palm tree vanishes from the face of the island? We have to ensure that palm trees survive their losing battle against the invasions of RPW simply by addressing the national problem now rather than later and by having all hands on deck.

5000BC – 2008 AD, There is evidence that the “healthy” palm tree trunk was used as structural timber in the Nile Valley 5000 BC (Kharga Oasis, Western Desert); the fronds were woven to line ceilings, provide mats and utensils for carrying possessions, and for covering food. Date fronds woven as Barasti structures, as shelters and as windbreakers are still commonplace. In pre-dynastic Egypt (c.3500BC), in Ruzikate (Sharkia Province), excavations revealed a mummy robed with date palm leaves. The fruit is the jewel in the crown, as it was a major source of food for desert dwellers, mariners, armies, nomads and caravan travellers, and domestic animals for at least 7000 years. It is the oldest cultivated tree in the history of man. The fig, olive, grape and pomegranate were also cultivated very early in man’s settlement. Dried dates are one of the few food sources that is self-preserving (because of its high sugar content), is light to carry, especially in view of the small quantity needed for daily consumption, and is pleasant to eat. Dried fish and dried meats are less palatable and grains require preparation before they can be eaten. From earliest records of pre-dynastic Egypt the fruit was used to sweeten beer (excavation of a vat in Hierakonpolis, Upper Egypt, 3450 BC).

With no pesticides, insecticides or fungicides, palm trees have survived for thousands of years. Are we to live long enough to even possibly witness the complete extinction of some species or groups of palm trees worldwide?

Nerja is a seaside town some 53 kilometres east of Malaga on the Costa del Sol. The town is built on a cliff above numerous sandy coves and lies at the foot of the impressive Sierra de Almijara mountain range. In Andalusia, a total of 40 infested palm trees had to be cut down as the nasty little critter causing untold damage to palms throughout the region. All but one of the palms was privately owned; the only publicly owned one is in the Verano Azul Park.

The responsibility for actually cutting down and removing the infected trees lay with the Junta de Andalucía after the various municipalities made notification of infestation. The responsible Councillor for Parks and Gardens explained at a recent press conference that there has been a resurgence of the beastie in the municipality over the past weeks and advises anyone who has a palm tree and notices symptoms of infection to contact the local Citizens Help Department for assistance. Here again I suggest that anyone in Malta and Gozo who owns a palm tree and notices symptoms of infection should get in touch with the local authorities and/or a private consortium for a complete dialogistical test followed by treatment or destruction, whichever the case may be. Whether this carries a fee or not, is worth looking into. Should anybody’s palm tree be in an advanced stage of infection, I strongly recommend that it be pulled out of the soil, roots and all and burnt. Not necessary but advisable, the soil should be sterilized afterwards. There are different methods of soil sterilization and I suggest that you contact the experts at your local nursery.

The Councillor also stressed that municipally owned palm trees in such emblematic areas as the Balcón de Europa are not under threat as operatives from the Parks and Gardens Department administer preventative treatment once a month.

The weevil pest was introduced into Andalucía in 1996 and since then thousands of trees have been infected and had to be destroyed.

Symptoms to look out for: 1. Drooping of the bottom fronds. 2. Drying up and browning of these fronds. 3. In most cases the crown emits a rotten stench. 4. The top topples over and the tree is dead.

Controls: The only effective control is through phytosantitation – this means chopping down and destroying all infected palms at an early stage so the nests of larvae cannot hatch and re-populate an area. The head of the palm needs to be split open and all larvae destroyed. Burning the heads does not kill the larvae in the middle of the trunk. Trapping with pheromones and poisoned fruit has proved ineffective and in some cases actually increased weevil damage.

Sending out an SOS: The devastation caused by the Red Palm weevils is clearly visible today in Kappara, San Gwann, Sliema, St Julian’s, Msida, Naxxar, Mriehel, Mosta, San Pawl tat-Targa, St Paul’s Bay, Wardia, Salina, Gudja, Luqa and only God knows how many others we are not yet aware of due to neglect and/or lack of knowledge of those having already infected palm trees behind their private garden walls. Due to the serious infestation of the Red Palm weevil in Malta, I am aware that between 250 and 270 established palm trees all over Malta in recent weeks/months have been uprooted and burnt in isolated areas. At the same time, the top of other infected palm trees have been loped off on site, while some are unwrapped and others wrapped up in plastic sheeting but still standing in the place they were planted in public and private gardens and along waysides. What is the government waiting for to uproot these infested palm trees and have them completely destroyed?

It’s a nationwide problem and everybody’s individual and collective efforts will lead to a better environment. Individually and collectively we need to control this pest and keep track of its trail for as long as it takes to eradicate it, hopefully in the shortest time possible.