Common and Potential Insect Pests of Urban Palm Trees in Malaysia

• Published in: Urban Forestry and Arboriculture in Malaysia: An Interdisciplinary Research Perspective
• Main Author: Tan L.P.; Cheong Y.L.; Syazwan S.A.; Lum W.C.; Lee S.H.
• Format: Book chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Nature 2022
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85189414150&doi=10.1007%2f978-981-19-5418-4_8&partnerID=40&md5=b67810c1cb715e7ad94b00ea59734205

Palms belong to one of the largest plant families, Arecaceae. They are among the most extensively cultivated species used for foods and landscaping. This family covers a large variety of species and is widely distributed in warm and humid lowlands of the tropics. Malaysia, which is located in the equatorial region with a typical tropical climate, is home to many palm species. Palms are recommended in landscape planning where the planting space is cramped; they are widely used to create a sense of place and to define the frame of the construction. These evergreen plants could serve as reliable food sources and shelters for insects, and almost all categories of insect pests can be found in palms with various degrees of occurrence. Nevertheless, the relationship between insects and different palm species planted for ornamental functions is still mostly unknown. This chapter summarizes the insect pests associated with the five most common palm species used for the urban landscape in Malaysia viz. Roystonea regia, Wodyetia bifurcata, Licuala grandis, Livistona chinensis and Ptychosperma macarthurii. Similar taxa of insect pests are usually found on different palm species, regardless of their location. Hemiptera, Coleoptera and Lepidoptera are the most documented orders among all insect pests. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.