Rhynchophorus palmarum
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The South American palm weevil, Rhynchophorus palmarum, is a species of snout beetle. The adults are relatively large black beetles of approximately one and a half inch in length, and the larvae may grow to two inches in length.
These insects are attracted to the release of volatile compounds produced by injured palm trees. The larvae burrow through the hearts of palms, and their feeding can potentially kill an infested palm or serve as an avenue for secondary infections of bacterial disease. It is considered an important pest of cultivated coconut, date and oil palms, attacking thirty-five different species in twelve different families. It has also been documented as an occasional pest of sugar cane. This insect serves as vector for the Bursaphelenchus cocophilus nematode — the cause of red ring disease in coconuts, oilpalm, and dates. R. palmarum carries the disease in the form of dauer larvae, a survival form. By the time one observes symptoms, the palm is usually already dead. Weevils are infected while feeding as adults or larvae, but only female weevils carry a large internal infestation around their oviducts and are capable of transmitting the nematode... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yasuní National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Arenal Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a South American Palm Weevil sighting in San José on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 210th most-seen of the 239 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.
June, September and December–February
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a South American Palm Weevil in San José on a given day, against under 5% in March–May, July–August and October–November, the lowest months.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most South American Palm 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.
5th of 6
Of the 6 cities where we can rate South American Palm Weevil sightings, San José ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in Manaus (Brazil, about 10%), Puebla (México, about 10%) and San Salvador (El Salvador, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the South American Palm Weevil is recorded against all the insects logged in San José (5 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.
