**2. Global RPW invasion: an update**

During the mid-1980s, RPW was reported on date palm *Phoenix dactylifera* L. from the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf region of the Middle East. Subsequently, first reports of RPW invasion came from the other Gulf countries of the Middle East. During 1993, RPW attack was reported on date palm in Egypt in North Africa, and later during 1995, it was detected for the first time on *P. canariensis* from Spain in Europe. During the next two decades, the pest spread rapidly in the Gulf region of the Middle East, some Maghreb countries in North Africa and the Mediterranean basin countries in Europe (**Figure 1**). RPW has rapidly expanded its geographical range during the last three decades, and ecological niche modeling [3] suggests that the pest is likely to expand its geographical range still further. Recent reports of RPW invasion suggest that the pest is establishing in East Africa in Djibouti on date palm and also in the Caucasian region where it is detected in Abkhazia on the canary island palm in the Republic of Georgia. During 2019, RPW was detected in Bulgaria in the Black Sea Basin region and also in Bosnia-Herzegovina in Southeastern Europe.

The only report of RPW invasion in the American continent comes from Aruba and Curacao islands in the Caribbean region [4]. Although RPW was reported from California, USA, during 2010 [5], molecular studies at the University of California, USA, subsequently characterized the pest as *R. vulneratus* [6], a closely related species of *R. ferrugineus* predominant on coconut in the South East Asia. Similarly, the previous *R. ferrugineus* reports from Australia and countries in the Oceanic region have now been attributed to other species of the *Rhynchophorus* group of weevils. It is pertinent to point out that although RPW moves through infested offshoots in the date palm-growing countries, another important route of transmission/movement of the pest is through palms shipped for ornamental gardening.

#### **Figure 1.**

*Current Geographical Distribution of RPW (Source- EPPO 2020; https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/RHYCFE/ datasheet).*

**5**

*Red Palm Weevil* Rhynchophorus ferrugineus *(Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Global Invasion…*

As the geographical range of the pest expanded, so did the host range of RPW. During the mid-1950s, RPW was reported from just four palm species, viz. *C. nucifera*, *P. dactylifera, Metroxylon sagu* and *Corypha umbraculifera* [8]. RPW is currently reported on 40 palm species worldwide [7, 9, 10], including *Areca catechu* L., *Arenga saccharifera* Labill, *A. engleri* Becc., *A. pinnata* (Wurmb), *Bismarckia nobilis* Hildebrand and Wend, *Borassus flabellifer* L., *B*. sp., *Brahea armata S. Watson*, *B*. *edulis*, *Butia capitata* (Mart.) Becc., *Calamus merrillii* Becc., *Caryota cumingii* Lodd., *C. maxima* Blume, *Cocos nucifera*, *Corypha utan* Lamk., (= *C*. *gebanga*, *C. elata*), *C*. *umbraculifera* L., *Chamæerops humilis*, *Elaeis guineensis*, *Livistona australis* (R.Br.) Mart., *L. decipiens* Becc., *L. chinensis* Jacq.R. Br., *L*. *saribus* (= *L*. *cochinchinensis*) (Lour.) Merr., *Metroxylon sagu* Rottb., *Oncosperma horrida* (Scheff.), *O*. *tigillarium* (Ridl.), *Phoenix canariensis* (Chabaud), *P. dactylifera*, *P*. *roebelinii* O'Brien, *P. sylvestris* Roxb, *P*. *theophrastii* Greuter, *Pritchardia pacifica* Seemann and Wendland, *P. hillebrandii* (Kuntze) Becc., *Ravenea rivularis* Jumelle and Perrier, *Roystonea regia* (Kunth.), *Sabal umbraculifera* (Jacq.) Martius, *Trachycarpus fortunei* (Hook), *Washingtonia filifera* (L. Lindl), *W. robusta* H. Wendl. and *Syagrus romanzoffiana* (Cham.). The non-palm hosts are the century plant *Agave americana*

Considering such a wide host range of this pest, it is imperative to ensure proper phytosanitary measures are in place before palms are transported/shipped. Recently, FAO has published the detailed guidelines on phytosanitary regulations to be adopted to ensure the movement of RPW free planting material within national borders and from one country to another [11]. Import and movement of infested plant material within a country are the main pathways to the introduction and spread of *R. ferrugineus*. Short-distance spread is possible by adult flight. The pest can be spread over long distances in infested palms for planting of host palms [7]. Flight mill studies have demonstrated that RPW being a sizeable population is short-distance fliers (<100 m) which would explain the aggregated/clumped distribution of infestation. RPW has the capacity to fly up to 50 km in a day with

Understanding the biology of the pest is essential in developing, implementing and sustaining management practices. RPW is a hidden pest, with all its life stages developing inside the palm except for the adult stage, which is partly exposed when adult weevils fly out of the brood in search of the host or on occasions to find a mate. Recently, Al-Ayedh [15] in the FAO guidelines on RPW management and EPPO [7], using RPW data sheets, has summarized the literature on the biology of this pest.

The recent *R. ferrugineus* data sheets of the European Plant Protection Organization [7] reports that RPW exists in 49 countries including 15 in Europe (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Portugal, Russia, Spain and Turkey), six in Africa (Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia), 26 in Asia (Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and Yemen) and two in the American continent (Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles).

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93391*

**3. Host range and introduction pathways**

and sugarcane *Saccharum officinarum* [9].

flight activity being predominantly diurnal [12–14].

**4. Biology and symptoms of damage**

*Red Palm Weevil* Rhynchophorus ferrugineus *(Coleoptera: Curculionidae): Global Invasion… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93391*

The recent *R. ferrugineus* data sheets of the European Plant Protection Organization [7] reports that RPW exists in 49 countries including 15 in Europe (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Portugal, Russia, Spain and Turkey), six in Africa (Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia), 26 in Asia (Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and Yemen) and two in the American continent (Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles).
