First record of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus in the USA
On 2010-10-18, the detection of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae – EPPO A2 List) in California (US) was officially confirmed. In August 2010, while removing a large and dying Phoenix canariensis from a residence in the city of Laguna Beach (Orange county, California), the landscape contractor reported the presence of adult weevils and larvae, as well as larval feeding damage in the top portions of the palm stipe. The weevils were subsequently identified as R. ferrugineus by the USDA-ARS Systematic Entomology Laboratory in Maryland. This is the first record of R. ferrugineus in the USA. Surveys are underway around Laguna Beach to determine the extent of the infestation and decide upon eradication/containment measures to take against the pest.
The situation of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus in the USA can be described as follows: Present, detected for the first time in October 2010 in one Phoenix canariensis in California (city of Laguna Beach), under official control.
Sources
California Department of Food and Agriculture (US). News Release (2010-10-18). Red palm weevil, worst known pest of palm trees, detected in Laguna Beach. Agricultural officials confirm first detection of palm tree pest in the United States.
University of California, Riverside. Centre for Invasive Species Research. Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)