Some 600 infected palm trees were stopped from entering the island last year as the authorities clamped down on the pests bent on destroying the local palm population.

The palm trees, all of which were infected with red palm weevils, were identified by the Plant Health Department in 11 seizures.

“We are working hard to try and stop these weevils from destroying our remaining palm trees. They have become an integral part of the plants associated with Malta,” a department spokesman said when contacted.

Figures seen by this newspaper show that about 4,500 palm trees have fallen victim to the red palm weevil since the pest first entered Malta in 2007.

Read more in the Times of Malta.