The beetles invasion Death knell for Riviera palm trees

A plague of Asian beetles has raised fears for the survival of the palm trees lining the boulevards of the Riviera.

Red palm weevils have infested about 5,500 trees along France’s Mediterranean coast in the past five years.

The larvae tunnel deep into the trunk, eventually causing it to die. Trees can be “vaccinated” with an insecticide that prevents infestation.

Garden owners who fail to protect their palms face fines of €135 (£120) as the authorities

try to stop the infestation spreading. Le Figaro

newspaper described the infestation as “the death knell of the Côte d’azur’s palm trees”.