An invasive weevil threatening palms in Latin America and the Caribbean

A silent destroyer is threatening biodiversity, national economies, agriculture, food systems, and cultural heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

The Red Palm Weevil (RPW, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus), a beetle no larger than a human thumb yet considered the most devastating palm tree pest in the world, has already left a trail of destruction across three continents—and now it has arrived in the Americas.

About the Red Palm Weevil

Native to Southeast Asia, the RPW has become a major invasive species in the Middle East, North Africa, southern Europe, and parts of Asia. It attacks the internal tissue of palm trees, causing irreversible damage before external symptoms become visible. This pest affects at least 39 plant species, including date palm, Canary Island palm, coconut palm, oil palm, as well as sugarcane and maguey.

Arrival in Latin America and potential spread

In 2022, Uruguay reported the presence of the Red Palm Weevil in Canelones. What began as localized infestations has since spread like a wildfire across the country and, in 2025,  it is present at least in nine provinces: Montevideo, Canelones, Maldonado, Florida, Flores, San José, Colonia, Lavalleja and Durazno.

While the main host in Uruguay has been Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island palm), including culturally significant specimens planted at historical monuments, RPW has also been found in native species such as Butia odorata (Butiá) and Syagrus romanzoffiana (Pindó). This spread to native palm species raises concerns about potential impacts on regional biodiversity, particularly threatening palms within the Reserva de Biosfera Bañados del Este, which according to UNESCO hosts the highest population of Butiá in the world.

Palms are ecologically important and often serve as keystone species in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. Countries such as Brazil, which hosts 393 palm species—142 of them endemic—could face serious biodiversity losses if the pest spreads further. RPW's ability to harness different plant resources to complete its life cycle and its affinity with the climates of vast regions of our continent suggests an enormous risk of spreading, making it one of the most serious threats to biodiversity on a continental scale.

Beyond ecological impacts, palms are deeply embedded in the livelihoods, traditions, and cultural practices of many Indigenous and rural communities across the region. They provide food, medicine, building materials, and are linked to traditional knowledge passed down through generations.

A race against time

In response to a formal request from the Government of Uruguay in 2024, FAO’s Forestry Division, in collaboration with the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean and FAO Uruguay, organized a technical consultancy led by Dr. Mark Hoddle, an international RPW expert, from the University of California. 

The assessment concluded that eradication of RPW in Uruguay is still technically feasible, but it requires rapid action, sustained commitment, financial and technical support, and a coordinated regional response.

A regional response is needed 

Given the dispersal capacity of RPW, both by its own means and in association with vectors such as the trade of ornamental palms and the transport of plant remains, its containment and eradication will require a coordinated regional approach, and neighboring countries must strengthen their monitoring, early detection, and rapid response systems.

FAO's Forest Health and Invasive Species Network for Latin America and the Caribbean (FHISLAC) has emerged as a crucial coordination platform, facilitating knowledge exchange and mobilizing technical expertise across the region. Uruguay’s ongoing efforts are also creating opportunities to train technical staff from neighboring countries on detection and response strategies.

All hands on deck

Eradication of the Red Palm Weevil has been achieved only in a few places, such as the Canary Islands and Mauritania—proof that success is possible. However, these efforts required sustained investment, coordinated action, and, most importantly, early intervention.

Latin America and the Caribbean now faces a critical decision point. If permanent RPW populations become established in Uruguay and the pest spreads further, the costs and complexity of control will increase dramatically, while the chances of its total eradication will decline to practically zero.

Pests do not recognize borders. Without a regional response, its continued expansion across Latin America and the Caribbean is likely.

While the resources needed for eradication are significant, they are far outweighed by the long-term economic, ecological, and cultural costs of inaction. Now is the time to invest—before the opportunity is lost.

The spread of the Red Palm Weevil across Latin America and Caribbean requires urgent, collective commitment. Partial measures will not suffice; decisive coordinated regional action is needed—now.