Rhynchophorus cruentatus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The palmetto weevil (Rhynchophorus cruentatus) is an insect native to Florida, but has been found as far as southern Texas to the west and South Carolina to the north. It is the largest weevil in North America and the only kind of palm weevil in the continental United States. It infests palms and is considered a pest. Its main target is the Canary Island date palm, but date palms (a different species than the Canary Island date palm), sabal palms (the palmetto weevil's traditional target), saw palmetto (the palmetto weevil's traditional alternative target), Washingtonia, Pritchardia, royal palms, Latania, coconut palms, Caryota, and Bismarckia are also susceptible. Distressed palm trees are usually attacked, which makes transplanted trees a frequent target. The Palmetto Weevils mate at the base of the palm branches where the females deposit their eggs. The grubs then eat into the palm tree, killing it. After the larvae have turned into adult weevils, the damage can be seen, but by then, it is considered to be too late for the tree. The life cycle from egg to adult for a palmetto weevil is about 84 days. For prevention, it is recommended an appropriate insecticidal crown drench is done twice a year for high value palms.
Grubs of other species of palm weevils are considered a delicacy in countries outside the United States. Palmetto weevil are most active in late spring and early summer. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Palmetto Weevil sighting in Orlando on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 191st most-seen of the 294 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Palmetto Weevil in Orlando on a given day, against under 5% in September to July, the lowest months. That is one of Orlando's wettest months, with about 190 mm of rain against 50 mm in November.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Palmetto Weevil sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Palmetto Weevil sightings, Orlando has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Miami (United States, under 5%).
Same order: Coleoptera
The closest relatives of the Palmetto Weevil that you can see in Orlando (order Coleoptera, Beetles) are Asian Lady Beetle (about 20%), Sri Lanka Weevil (about 10%) and Diaprepes Root Weevil (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Palmetto Weevil is recorded against all the insects logged in Orlando (8 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
