Special course geared toward stalling spread of red palm tree beetle

The Formentera Council, by way of the institution's office of agriculture, is currently overseeing organisation of a course entitled Comprehensive Control of the Palm Tree Beetle (becut vermell). The course will take place over four days -7, 8, 28 and 29 November- or a total of twenty hours, and will be imparted by professor Juan Argente.

The becut vermell beetle species originated in southeast Asia. It was first detected in Spain in 1995, but didn't make it to the Pitiüsa Islands until 2007. The insect has now become well-known locally both for its flaming red colour and for the damage it does to palm trees. Enrolment in the course is free, and can be done either in person at the office of agriculture, or by telephoning the office at 971.321.087.

Though exact dates have not yet been chosen, the Formentera office of agriculture is currently in plans to coordinate a total of seven more courses between November and March 2015.

Course content will range from hygienic food handling, proper techniques in fruit tree pruning, plagues and diseases that attack vines, biological responses to plant plagues, proper watering techniques, animal health and parasites that affect livestock.