Pheromone traps for Red Weedvil beetles

Hi all, While out i Spain last week I purchased some huge old plams. Given the issue of the red weevil beetle and the devestation it has caused some palms in Spain (and many other countries), I'm keen to use a combination of regular fumigation and good palm pruning together with a phermone trap to capture any weevils that come into the garden.

Has anyone here had any first hand experience of using these phermone traps and if so, where did you purchase them from, or did you make your own?

Of course I can speak to the local garden centres too, but wanted to ask if anyone else has tried this.

Regards, Carl

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Have had one for around 9 months, purchased from the local garden centre bucket and feramones were around €25, once you have the bucket replacement feramone is around €14, they say this lasts around 3 months but in reality it's 4-5 months, if how well it works is judged by the amount of Beatles it catches then it works very well, in warm weather we get 30-40 a week, when temps below say 18c in the day it more like 1-2 a week, could make you own bucket but for the €11 or so maybe not worth it, we add a little insecticide to the water in the bucket, this kills them in 10mins or so, with just water they are swimming around for weeks!

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Hi Longlegpete, many thanks for your informative reply. I've got a few questions, if i might pick your brains please?

1. Do you find that having the trap actually attracts more of the beetles to your garden, or do you think it just isolates and controls those that woud otherwise be there anyhow?

2. Did you install the trap specifically to prevent the Weevil form getting into your palms - if so, has it worked?

3. Do you also fumigate your palms on a regular basis?

4. Does the beetle attack the palms all year around or just certain times? From what you've said, you maintain the trap all year, so I assume it does even attack them in the winter.

5. How many traps do you have in the garden? We've got three core palm areas in the plot andI am curious of the square metre coverage of each trap ( to ensure we're fully protected).

6. We're in the Valle de Ricote (near Archena) and the beetle has caused considerable damage in the local region here - where are you based?

7. Finally, do you know if the pheremone is dangerous to dogs? One of the palm areas is in the dog enclosure, and they are into everything.

Again, thanks for your feedback and thanks in advance of answering the above questions.

Best regards, Carl

 

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Hi Carl


1. Do you find that having the trap actually attracts more of the beetles to your garden, or do you think it just isolates and controls those that woud otherwise be there anyhow?-----No way to be sure I guess, I just think if they are about then it's better the bucket than my or a neighbours palm.

2. Did you install the trap specifically to prevent the Weevil form getting into your palms - if so, has it worked?---- As above really, rather in the bucket than in the palm.

3. Do you also fumigate your palms on a regular basis?---- We have a gardener apply insecticides once a month to the crown of the palms, we have been doing this for the last 2 years

4. Does the beetle attack the palms all year around or just certain times? From what you've said, you maintain the trap all year, so I assume it does even attack them in the winter.------- we have heard that under 15deg c they don't fly, we still treat the palm all year round just in case but now having the bucket trap it would seam this is correct, once the temp drops in winter there is very little activity

5. How many traps do you have in the garden? We've got three core palm areas in the plot andI am curious of the square metre coverage of each trap ( to ensure we're fully protected).------ We only have one, we only have 5 palms in one area so put the trap over the other side of the garden, best not to put them too close to the palms

6. We're in the Valle de Ricote (near Archena) and the beetle has caused considerable damage in the local region here - where are you based?-----We are on the coast just outside Moraira, we have so far suffered less than some places we have seen but do see affected palms

7. Finally, do you know if the pheremone is dangerous to dogs? One of the palm areas is in the dog enclosure, and they are into everything.---- Not sure but it's quite common to see the the traps attached to the side of trees, we have lots of pine trees around hear and people screw the traps to them so would be out of the way of the dogs if needs be

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Many thanks Longlegpete, the information you provided
Has been really helpful.

Best regards, Carl

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