The population dynamics of red date palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Oliv. and other insects in date palm orchards at Kharje area of Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Since long the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Oliv is known to be the most serious pest of coconut and other cultivated palms in India and other South Asian countries. This insect entered the Gulf countries in mid 1980’s and since then it has caused devastating impact on date palm cultivation. It has threatened the multi-million dollar date industry and has raised the question on the survival of a cultural icon of the Gulf countries. The larval stages of this insect feed voraciously within the trunk of the palms and kill the trees. There are a number of insects attacks the date palm tree trunks such as the longhorn date palm stem borer Pseudophilus Testaceus Gah. and Oryctes sp., in addition to red date palm weevil. Our study was conducted to understand the relationship between the red date palm weevil and the other two insects. Twenty five fields were selected in al Kharje area (55 km South Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). Number of light traps and pheromone traps were distributed evenly in the selected fields. The study was started March 2007 and will end March 2008. The red date palm weevil, longhorn date palm stem borer and Oryctes sp adults were collected weekly for the study period by the traps and by dissecting the highly infested trees. Understanding the relationship is a critical component on integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.