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Abstract
The purposes of this study were to find out breeding places and culturing methods and to suggest
ideas for developing the economic farming of red palm weevil,
Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
Oliver, in
Songkhla and Phatthalung provinces. The main study was carried out from October 2007 to April 2008
and it revealed the following findings. There were 31 breeding places in Songkhla province including
22 places in Amphoe Sathingphra, 6 places in Amphoe Ranot, 2 places in Amphoe Singhanakhon, and
1 place in Amphoe Rattaphum. In Phatthalung province there were 20 breeding places including 12
places in Amphoe Khuan Khanun, 7 places in Amphoe Muang, and 1 place in Amphoe Bang Kaeo.
The size of most red palm weevil breeding shed in Songkhla province was 50-59 m2. The tops and
the lateral sides of these sheds were made of shading nets. 100-350 Gebang blocks, each with 36-55
cm in diameter and 41-50 cm long were used for food of weevil. In Phatthalung province almost of
breeding places were open space with less than 50 m2 and Sago palm blocks were used for weevil
rearing. There were fewer than 50 Sago palm blocks, each with 36-45 cm in diameter and 46-60 cm long
in each breeding place. The weevil rearing methods in both provinces were similar. The food blocks
were arranged in two rows, and the wet brown dried coconut fibers were put on top of each food block.
2-5 weevil adults were placed on these wet coconut fibers covered with a piece of wood or concrete.
The food blocks were watered once a day during the first month and then once every 3-4 days. After
the first month, the weevil larvae were collected everyday. They were then kept in a container with
wet brown dried coconut fibers inside or put in plastic bags and kept refrigerated. The weevil culturing
in Songkhla province was more advanced than that in Phatthalung province so the numbers of weevil
larvae in Songkhla province were higher than those in Phatthalung province. However, both provinces
were facing the shortage of food blocks. The immediate conservation and the breeding of the Gebang
and Sago palm were suggested. The weevil culturers should cooperate to exchange the knowledge,
find ways to look for food blocks and set prices of red palm weevil larvae. The researcher should
study and disseminate the new knowledge to improve the economic farming of red palm weevil.
Keywords :
Red palm weevil; Economic farming; Songkhla province; Phatthalung province
