West indian cane weevil - Metamasius hemipterus
EEffective: April 2, 2013 - December 31, 2017
Resources:
Pest Tracker
CAPS Pest Datasheet
Screening Aids:
Taxonomic Position:
Coleoptera : Curculionidae
Pest Type:
Insects
Pest Code (NAPIS):
INASRCA
This pest is a member of the following lists:
| Palm |
|---|
These Approved Methods are appropriate for:
2017, 2016, 2015
Human and Animal Pathogens Transmitted:
Not known to transmit any human or animal pathogens.
Plant Pathogens and Organisms Vectored:
This weevil may be a vector of red ring disease caused by Bursaphelenchus cocophilus (Cobb) (a nematode).
Survey
Approved Method(s):
| Method | Product Name / Instructions | NAPIS Survey Method |
|---|---|---|
| Trap |
23 - Homemade 5-Gallon Bucket Trap |
3001 - General Trapping Procedure |
| Trap |
26 - Palm Weevil Bucket Trap |
3001 - General Trapping Procedure |
| Visual | See the CPHST pest datasheet for detailed survey instructions. |
3031 - General Visual Observation |
Method Notes:
Visual surveys may be used to detect larval populations before adults emerge. A trap and lure combination may be used to detect adult populations. See the CPHST Pest Datasheet for survey instructions. See USDA (2010) for instructions on making a Home-made 5 gallon bucket trap.
Approved Lure(s):
| NAPIS Code | Product Name | Dispenser | Effectiveness | Compound(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 104 | Metamasius hemipterus Aggregation Lure | polysleeve | 42 days |
4-methyl-5-nonanol 2-methyl-4-heptanol |
| Palm Weevil Lure, Ethyl Acetate | polysleeve | 42 days |
ethyl acetate |
|
| Food bait (Metamasius hemipterus) | N/A | 7 days |
sugar cane or pineapple |
Lure Notes:
Do not include lures for other palm pests in the same trap when trapping for M. hemipterus.
Identification
ID/Diagnostic: Morphological
Morphological. Key characters that separate the dryophthorids in question from other families of Coleoptera are:
1) Beak (=rostrum) extends anteriorly from head,
2) Antennae elbowed, and
3) Antennal club mostly glabrous with restricted area of dense pubescence.
Images of these characters can be found in the CAPS datasheet.
The genus Metamasius can be distinguished from other similar genera by looking at morphological characteristics which are listed in Anderson (2002a) and Brodel (2002).
Vaurie (1966) has a key to help distinguish species of Metamasius. Anderson (2002b) provides a key to the Metamasius spp. (including M. hemipterus,) found in Costa Rica and Panama.
Identification to the subspecies level will not be required to report negative or positive data for this species.
1) Beak (=rostrum) extends anteriorly from head,
2) Antennae elbowed, and
3) Antennal club mostly glabrous with restricted area of dense pubescence.
Images of these characters can be found in the CAPS datasheet.
The genus Metamasius can be distinguished from other similar genera by looking at morphological characteristics which are listed in Anderson (2002a) and Brodel (2002).
Vaurie (1966) has a key to help distinguish species of Metamasius. Anderson (2002b) provides a key to the Metamasius spp. (including M. hemipterus,) found in Costa Rica and Panama.
Identification to the subspecies level will not be required to report negative or positive data for this species.
Mistaken Identities:
Metamasius species can be taxonomically difficult to distinguish because of the large number of species in the genus (O"Brien and Thomas, 1990). Metamasius hemipterus is similar to both M. benoisti (found in Ecuador) and M. ensirostris (found in South America) (Vaurie, 1966).
There is one native Metamasius species in the United States, M. mosieri. However, this species is easy to differentiate from most pest Metamasius spp. Metamasius mosieri is red and black with two round spots on the elytra and is only about 6 to 9 mm (approx. 1/4 to 3/8 in) long (Woodruff and Baranowski, 1985). Another Metamasius species found in Florida is M. callizona. Both M. mosieri and M. callizona attack bromeliads. Neither are likely to be captured in M. hemipterus traps. An image of all three Metamasius spp. can be found in Larson et al. (2001).
Another genus in the same tribe as Metamasius, Sphenophorus, may be confused with this species as well. Sphenophorus spp. have different hosts (grasses and corn). It is unknown if they would be attracted to the trap for M. hemipterus. Two keys illustrating the difference between Metamasius and Sphenophorus are Anderson (2002a) and Brodel (2002). Species of Rhynchophorus are much larger than species of Metamasius or Sphenophorus.
There is one native Metamasius species in the United States, M. mosieri. However, this species is easy to differentiate from most pest Metamasius spp. Metamasius mosieri is red and black with two round spots on the elytra and is only about 6 to 9 mm (approx. 1/4 to 3/8 in) long (Woodruff and Baranowski, 1985). Another Metamasius species found in Florida is M. callizona. Both M. mosieri and M. callizona attack bromeliads. Neither are likely to be captured in M. hemipterus traps. An image of all three Metamasius spp. can be found in Larson et al. (2001).
Another genus in the same tribe as Metamasius, Sphenophorus, may be confused with this species as well. Sphenophorus spp. have different hosts (grasses and corn). It is unknown if they would be attracted to the trap for M. hemipterus. Two keys illustrating the difference between Metamasius and Sphenophorus are Anderson (2002a) and Brodel (2002). Species of Rhynchophorus are much larger than species of Metamasius or Sphenophorus.
References
- Anderson, R. S. 2002a. Classification of the Nearctic Curculionidae. I. Dryophthorinae Schoenherr 1825. Pp. 728-730. In R. H. Arnett, Jr. et. al., eds. American Beetles, Vol. 2: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea. CRC Press, Boca Raton. 861 pp.
- Anderson, R. S. 2002b. The Dryophthoridae of Costa Rica and Panama: Checklist with keys, new synonymy and descriptions of new species of Cactophagus, Mesocordylus, Metamasius and Rhadobaenus (Coleoptera; Curculionoidea). Zootaxa 80: 1-94.
- Brodel, C.F. 2002. A key to domestic and PPQ-intercepted genera of Dryophthorinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). USDA-APHIS-PPQ, Miami, FL. 6 pp.
- Floyd, J. 2012. Protocol for Preparing and Forwarding Suspect South American Palm Weevil from Survey Traps for Confirmation and to Maximize Red Ring Nematode Detection. USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
- Larson, B., J. H. Frank, and O. R. Creel. 2001. Florida bromeliad weevil, Metamasius mosieri Barber (Insecta: Coleoptera: Curculionidae) (updated 2010). Featured Creatures. University of Florida, IFAS. EENY-209. Accessed April 19, 2013 from: http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/m_mosieri.htm.
- O'Brien, C. W. and M. C. Thomas. 1990. The species of Metamasius in Florida (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, Entomology Circular, 330.
- USDA-APHIS-PPQ-EDP. 2010. New Pest Response Guidelines: Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus.Riverdale, Maryland.
- Vaurie, P. 1966. A revision of the Neotropical genus Metamasius (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Rhynchophorinae) species groups I and II. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 131(3): 132 pp.
- Woodruff, R. E. and R. M. Baranowski. 1985. Metamasius hemipterus (Linnaeus) recently established in Florida. Florida Department of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry, Entomology Circular 272: 1-4.