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Palm treatment

Red palm weevil treatment in the Algarve

Preventive and curative palm tree treatment against the red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) and the palm moth (Paysandisia archon), by a certified pesticide applicator. Silves, Lagoa, Portimão, Albufeira and across the Algarve.

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Red palm weevil treatment in the Algarve

The red palm weevil: what it is and why it kills so fast

The red palm weevil reached the Algarve in 2007 and has since killed thousands of Canary Island date palms. The female lays her eggs in fresh cuts and leaf axils, the larvae tunnel through the trunk, and the palm dies from the inside with nothing visible until the crown collapses.

The good news: a regularly treated palm is rarely attacked, and a palm caught early can be saved. The bad news: once the central fronds have collapsed it is usually too late. Palm treatment works like insurance, cheap when preventive and expensive when it is an emergency.

We use products approved by the Portuguese authority (DGAV), applied by a certified pesticide applicator. This is not a job for a supermarket insecticide.

The red palm weevil: what it is and why it kills so fast

What is included

  • Preventive treatment

    Crown spraying or trunk injection every 45 to 60 days during the flight season, or on the schedule we agree with you.

  • Curative treatment

    For palms with early symptoms: cleaning of the affected zone, removal of larvae and application of a systemic insecticide.

  • Trunk injection (endotherapy)

    Product injected directly into the trunk. No drift, no smell, safe in gardens with children and pets.

  • Nematodes and traps

    Entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema carpocapsae) as a biological option, and pheromone traps for monitoring.

  • Palm moth (Paysandisia archon)

    The palm borer moth mainly attacks Chamaerops and Trachycarpus. We detect and treat it.

  • Dead palm removal

    We fell and destroy dead palms safely, as the law requires, so they do not infect the neighbours' palms.

When to call us

Signs your palm is infested:

  • Central (youngest) fronds bent, collapsed or looking as if cut with scissors
  • Lopsided crown or an untidy, windswept look
  • Holes in the trunk or leaf bases with sawdust and brown liquid
  • Finger-sized fibre cocoons at the base of the fronds
  • A hollow sound when you tap the trunk, or fronds that pull out by hand
  • A fermented smell near the crown

How the job runs

Four steps, with the price agreed before we start

  1. 01

    Diagnosis

    We inspect the crown closely, often by climbing. We tell you whether it is preventive, curative or already too late.

  2. 02

    Plan

    We agree the number of applications per year and the method: spraying, injection or nematodes.

  3. 03

    Application

    Treatment by a certified applicator, with the product and date recorded.

  4. 04

    Follow-up

    We come back on the agreed dates. If you notice anything odd between visits, send a photo and we answer.

What affects the price

The price of palm treatment depends on:

  • Number of palms at the same site
  • Height and species
  • Method: spraying, trunk injection or nematodes
  • Number of applications per year
  • Whether the palm already shows symptoms (curative work takes longer)

An annual preventive plan costs a fraction of removing a dead palm and buying a new one. Ask for a quote and tell us how many palms you have.

Where we do this work

We treat palms in Silves, Lagoa, Carvoeiro, Portimão, Albufeira, Lagos, Loulé and Faro, with annual plans for villas, condominiums and holiday lets.

  • Silves
  • Lagoa
  • Portimão
  • Albufeira
  • Lagos
  • Monchique
  • Loulé
  • Faro
  • Vila do Bispo
  • Aljezur
Areas

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Recent jobs

Common questions

Answers before you call

How can I get rid of red palm weevils?
Three approaches work: crown spraying with insecticide, trunk injection, and entomopathogenic nematodes. Prevention means regular applications during the flight season, March to November. On palms already attacked, we combine cleaning of the infested zone with a systemic insecticide. The method depends on species, size and whether there are symptoms.
What insecticide kills palm weevil?
Systemic products approved by the Portuguese authorities for professional use, applied by spraying or injection. The effective ones are not sold over the counter and require a certified applicator. The retail products are too weak and never reach the larvae deep inside the crown.
Is the red palm weevil dangerous to people?
No. It does not bite, sting or carry disease. The danger is the palm itself: a Phoenix canariensis crown weighs hundreds of kilos and drops without warning once the trunk is hollow.
Can my palm still be saved?
If only the young fronds are affected and the growing point is alive, the odds are good. If the crown has collapsed or the trunk is hollow, no. We send someone to look before promising anything.
Am I legally required to treat or remove the palm?
Yes. The red palm weevil is a pest under mandatory control in Portugal. Owners must treat their palms and fell and destroy dead ones so they do not infect the neighbours' palms. Several Algarve councils, including Silves, notify owners of dead palms.
Which palms resist the weevil best?
Phoenix canariensis is the pest's favourite. Washingtonia, Chamaerops humilis and Trachycarpus are attacked less often but are not immune. If you are planting new palms, talk to us about species before you buy.

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