Sicily has had some unwelcome visitors in the form of the punteruolo rosso, or red palm weevil, for two years now. This insect is destroying many of the island's lovely date palms and last night I was very sorry to learn that the two palm trees in front of the Sacro Cuore Church, under which I have so often sheltered from the sun, are affected. A student of mine who is an agronomist says that the weevil arrived from Egypt and that the only treatment is to cut affected palms down so that is the fate in store for the Church trees.
Image: Wikimedia
In Italy the red palm weevil has also reached Campania, Lazio, Puglia, Sardinia and Tuscany.
10 comments:
Ouch.
Here in the southern States folks had to deal with the "boll weevil," sometimes called the "cotton weevil.
Here's one version of the many folk songs dedicated to that destructive little bug. (If I had audio, I'd play it on my guitar & sing it for you):
Let me tell ya a story about a boll weevil
Now, some of you may not know
But a boll weevil is an insect
And he's found mostly where cotton grows
Now, where he comes from, hm, nobody really knows
But this is the way the story goes
The farmer said to the boll weevil
"I see you're on the square"
Boll weevil said to the farmer
"Say yep, my whole darn family's here"
And the boll weevil called the farmer, 'n' he said
"Ya better sell your old machines
'Cause when I'm through with your cotton
Heh, you can't even buy gasoline
"Stake me a home, gotta have a home
And the boll weevil said to the farmer, said " Farmer
I'd like to wish you well"
Farmer said to the boll weevil
"Yeah, an' I wish that you were in hell"
Lookin' for a home
(Ahh, you have a home all right, you have a home
(A real hot home, ahhh
Isn't it unbelievable that some destructive insect can destroy such beautiful trees! Isn't there some pesticide that affects them?
It looks like a scarab beetle!
Hope they don't attack you in bed.
Hi, Simi! ! comez herez to sayz "Hi, Simi!" ok?
Hi, Nick. Thanks for that information. I'd never heard of the "boll weevil" before. And thanks for sharing the lyrics - wish you were here to play them! Hi, Carmen. Terrible, isn't it? Apparently no pesticide is yet effective against them. Hi, WW. Yes, it does, doesn't it? Hi, James. So do I!
Simi says, "Hi, Alex. Are you ready for Santa Paws? xx woof!"
Simi, MY hoomin bean cantz getz downz OUR twee and MY sockin cause it be 2 highz fir himz to weach. OK?
Butz hiz gran-kittehz comez ober on Fwiday & dey getz dem downz & den we be weadyz fir Santa Pawz!!!!!! OK?
That is such a shame about those palms.
You have my symathies, what a terrible dilemma.
Simi says: "Hi, Alex. I hope your hooman beanz has got your tree up with your paw-sock on it now. It's my birthday today!" xx woofie!
Hi, Ellee and Cherie. Yes, such a shame.
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