What's eating my buccaneer palm?

Buccaneer Palm (Pseudophoenix sargentii) is a rare Florida native and Caribbean species with relatively few serious pests. Palm leaf skeletonizer is the main defoliator in its range. Scale insects appear on stressed specimens. The palmetto weevil is a risk in Florida plantings — avoid crown wounds at all times.

Leaflets webbed and skeletonized from the underside; fronds dry out and brown prematurely. Spray Bt or spinosad to frond undersides early in the infestation. Remove heavily damaged fronds. Repeat at 7–10-day intervals during active larval periods.

Wilting and collapse of the central spear leaf; larvae hollow out the crown, typically killing the palm. Avoid any trunk or crown wounds — the weevil is attracted to fresh wounds. Apply preventive imidacloprid to the crown where weevil pressure is high. Infested palms rarely survive; remove immediately.

Armored scales on frond midribs and stems; frond yellowing and dieback under sustained pressure. Apply horticultural oil during the crawler stage. Natural predators (Aphytis and Encarsia parasitic wasps) provide suppression in established landscape settings.