Not known to transmit any human or animal pathogens.

Not known to vector any pathogens or other associated organisms but damage may lead to invasion by secondary pests.

Bucket traps should be placed on the ground and strapped to host trees. Research has shown that catches of Rhabdoscelus obscurus were significantly higher in traps strapped to host trees as opposed to traps placed between trees or away from trees. However, if you are surveying in an area with R. palmarum or other palm weevils, be aware that trap placement may need to be adjusted because placing traps near hosts may inadvertently attract other weevils.

Visual surveys for immature stages are not an approved method and cannot be used to report negative data, but we are including some visual guidance to help surveyors who may observe larvae, pupae, or signs of infestation. 

Attaching lures to traps

IMPORTANT: Do not include lures for other target species in the trap when surveying for this target.

Hang the chemical lures inside the traps using polysleeve dispensers. Food baits should be placed in the bottom of bucket traps and covered with liquid. Water is necessary for bait to ferment. Food baits can be placed in separate aerated containers that are placed inside traps. These containers allow fermentation to occur by protecting bait, water, and natural yeasts from propylene glycol that is often added to traps to drown and preserve weevils.

Monitor and service traps and replace sugarcane bait every 7-9 days. The chemical lures are effective for 42 days. The release rates and longevity of the lures are based on temperature (i.e., the release rate increases at higher temperatures). Lures may need to be changed more frequently in hot, dry regions such as Arizona, Florida, Texas and California.

It is also of crucial importance to keep enough water and propylene glycol in the traps to completely cover the food bait.

Note: Visual surveys for larvae are not an approved method and cannot be used to report negative data, but we are including some visual guidance to help surveyors who may observe larvae or signs of infestation. 

• Sugarcane
  • Sugarcane plants infested with New Guinea sugarcane weevil may have round exit holes, frass-packed tunnels, visible feeding scars and cracks, and window-like openings in the cane.
• Palm
  • Infested palm trees may have round exit holes, frass-packed tunnels, visible feeding scars and cracks, trunk staining, a jelly-like substance coming from holes in leaves or stems, and splitting near the base or further up the trunk. In young palms, larvae may completely mine the center of stems and destroy the plants. Adults may be found sheltering at the base of inflorescences or under leaf bases. Cocoons are present within the trunks of dead plants or protruding through splits in the trunk.

Refer to the CAPS datasheet for images.

In Australia, adult populations begin building up in sugarcane fields in early summer and peak in the fall. During winter, populations remain low. Sallam et al. (2004) state that adults establish in sugarcane fields around the time that the first millable internode is expanded.

Surveyors should perform trapping surveys. Visual survey of host plants for symptoms of infestation is optional.

• Trapping Survey
  • Deploy traps throughout the survey area. Traps should be placed preferentially in areas where plants have been stressed by other factors, such as severe weather or rat damage.
  • Palm weevil bucket traps should be placed on the ground and strapped to host trees. Bucket traps should be covered in a rough cloth (e.g., burlap) or be made of rough plastic to allow the weevils to easily enter.
• Visual Survey (optional)
  • Visual inspection can be done in palms or sugarcane when signs of infestation are obvious (see the Signs section above and the CAPS Pest Datasheet for images of damaged plants). 
  • To inspect suspect palms, surveyors should remove a frond from the base of the petiole and inspect for the presence of larvae, pupae, or adults, or any signs of tunneling.
  • In sugarcane, surveyors can cut an opening in the cane to look for the presence of larvae, pupae, adults, signs of tunneling, or frass. 
  • To check for larvae that mine the thicker leaf bases in older palms and may extend a short distance into the trunk, another visual inspection method entails cutting a "window" in the crown of a highly suspect tree. 
    • Based on the size of the tree, multiple fronds are cut from one side of the crown from near the tip to the start of the trunk to reveal any tunneling occurring in the crown.
    • This method will affect the appearance of the palm and access to the canopy may be difficult. O
    • Only highly suspect trees should be used and permission must be obtained from the property owner.
  • If necessary, obtain permission from landowners or managers before removing fronds, cutting open canes, or otherwise damaging suspect hosts.

Note: To avoid risk of falling or other injury, only remove fronds from palm canopies accessible from the ground.

Areas with host plant material should be targeted for survey. These can be sugarcane fields (considered the main host of this species) as well as areas that have other host material, mainly palms. Nurseries as well as residential or public areas where palms are used as ornamentals can also be targeted for survey.

Conduct initial visual inspection in areas of the field where plants have been stressed. In palms, spatial distribution of weevil borers is typically patchy and more severe in areas of stressed trees.

Inspect the base of palm fronds removed from suspect hosts or cut an opening in canes for tunneling, larvae, pupae, or adults.

This weevil must be identified in the adult stage. Do NOT collect larvae. If larvae are found, continue sampling to locate pupae or an adult. If pupae are found, carefully remove the pupae from the host tissue without damaging them. Gently wrap the live pupae in paper towels, place them in a screw cap vial, and send them overnight to your designated identifier. The live pupae will be held until the adults emerge, or else they will be dissected. If adults are found, kill and preserve them by placing in vials containing 70 percent ethyl alcohol. Do not collect live adult weevils as they can easily chew through plastic bags and paper and living specimens cannot be shipped by the U.S. Postal Service.

Label all samples with any trap identification codes and the necessary collection and contact information. Make sure the vials are tightly sealed. It is good practice to place paper labels listing relevant collection information in pencil inside the vial with the specimen to avoid the loss of important information. Do not use pen or permanent marker, as alcohol can dissolve these inks. 

• Brodel (2002) provides a key to domestic and PPQ-intercepted genera of Dryophthorinae. This key includes several genera of importance, including Metamasius, Rhabdoscelus, and Rhynchophorus. 
• A Dryophthoridae key by Zimmerman (1968) as modified by C. F. Brodel (2013) is found in Brodel (2013a).
• Brodel (2013b) provides images of important morphological characters of Dryophthoridae, showing how to differentiate this family from Curculionidae.
• The CAPS Screening Aid provides an initial screening aid and key for differentiating Cosmopolites, Metamasius, Scyphophorus, and Sphenophorus from Rhabdoscelus.

New Guinea sugarcane weevil can be confused with other species of Rhabdoscelus; however, none of these species are present in the United States. Other genera in the Dryophthoridae are similar in appearance to New Guinea sugarcane weevil, including Rhynchophorus, Cosmopolites, Metamasius, Sphenophorus, and Scyphophorus. Use the images and key available in the CAPS Screening Aid to help differentiate Cosmopolites, Metamasius, Scyphophorus, and Sphenophorus from Rhabdoscelus. Additionally, Brodel (2002) is available on the AMPS page and provides a more technical key to domestic and intercepted Dryophthoridae.

Some Rhynchophorus species attack New Guinea sugarcane weevil hosts (i.e., palms and sugarcane), but Rhynchophorus are typically 2-2.5 times longer and 3 times wider than the New Guinea sugarcane weevil. 

• Rhynchophorus cruentatus infests various palm species, especially Sabal palmetto (cabbage palmetto) and Serenoa repens (saw palmetto). It is native to Florida and the southeastern United States.
• Rhynchophorus palmarum infests various palm species, including Cocos nucifera (coconut), Elaeis guineensis (African oil palm), and Phoenix spp. (date palm), as well as Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane). Rhynchophorus palmarum is established in California and has been detected in Arizona and Texas.
• Rhynchophorus vulneratus is a damaging palm pest and was detected (at first identified as R. ferrugineus) and eradicated in California.
• Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, also a damaging palm pest, is not known to be present in the United States, but is present in the Caribbean.

See the CAPS Screening Aid and CAPS datasheet for images of these weevils.