Palms in Arillas

[Charlieos07]

Walking round Arillas I'm saddened to see so many palms with the pineapple type trunk that have been struck down. They maybe date palms but not sure. You can't miss them. it looks like some blight has affected these palms that must be many years old. Does any one know the cause and what is being done for prevention.

[Anne]

I was told they had to have all the leaves cut off because they were attacked by a bug type thing, hopefully they will come back just as lovely as ever.

[Ann K]

I had noticed it on some of the pictures on Facebook.  Yiota said it was a virus.  Such a shame as those trees look lovely and hopefully, they will recover.
Ann x

[vivian]

Ever since the olympics there has been a little bug in the country there has been a little bug around that attacks them. if you see one that has fallen to them on the inside of the trunk. it just looks like wet carboard and stinks to high heaven. I was told it can take between a week and 1 yr for it to kill hem, but cant remember its name. xx

[harold]

its the Red Palm Weevil.The female can lay upto 200 eggs at once.The female larvae burrow to the centre of the palm .the level of infection has 5 stages and can survive upto level 4 though at this stage the trees would need majpr surgery.upto level 4 the tree is treated both by surgery and spraying.

[dimitris]

 There is a picture of the bug which was found in our balcony.  We have two small palmtrees that have not  been affected. .. It seems to like the older - larger trees...

[harold]

looks like the bug in the article, will scan it and try loading up a bit later.

[harold]

i have scanned the article,but cannot find how to load it in

[dimitris]

Harold! send it to me and I will upload it for you,

info( @ ) arillas.com

[Charlieos07]

From what I've been told the stricken palm has to be burnt to the ground to kill off the beetles
but it would appear this is not being done. On a positive note a palm within Sharon's pool bar has been cut right back to the crown and is now regrowing fresh green leaves. Once you start to notice how many trunks of palms have been left forlorn it seems something must be done to ensure their survival. It's not just Arillas, you can see dead palms all the way to the airport if you look for them.
Maybe the government of Corfu should be involved as they are a national treasure that I fear are facing a bleak future over time.

[harold]

i emailed an article to Dimitris about the problem and he is going to put the article up for me.its from the Menorcan version of the corfiot and they have the same problem

[dimitris]

That's the article it's very interesting reading it.

[Ann K]

Interesting indeed.  Not a pleasant thought that many of the palm trees in and around Arillas, or, come to that, Corfu entirely, could become infected.  Hopefully the trees can be treated before too much damage occurs.
Ann x

[justphil]

Thanks for posting Harold and Dimitri. It is so sad to see the destruction of such gorgeous palms. They are a feature of so many tavernas all over our place. With murder in my heart, I think a chemical solution killing all of the bugs might be the answer. The bugs are beautiful, but the palms are more important....

Phil

[harold]

agree phil and its not as if they are a local bug they seem to come from asia so have no natural preditors,It was ironic we end up in Menorca and find an article about this there