Florida has 16 species of native Bromeliads, many of which are
restricted to the southern portions of our state. Florida is at risk
of losing some of its most unique bromeliads forever, as an invasive
exotic pest weevil (Metamasuis callizona), or as us Floridans call it
"Evil Weevil", is destroying populations of 5 of these native
bromeliad species at an alarming rate. Six species of rarer bromeliads
are also vulnerable.

The "Evil Weevil" entered Florida in a shipment of bromeliads from
Mexico, and buy the time it was discovered in a nursery in 1989, it
had become established in Broward County. It is now in 16 counties in
south Florida and is fast approaching Florida's most rare and
endangered bromeliad species in the Everglades.
The Mexican Bromeliad Weevil kills the plants by the tunneling of its
larvae which eats-out the entire base of the plant causing it to fall
from the tree that was supporting it. The weevil prefers large, mature
plants, and the death of many of the breeding individuals quickly
wipes out entire populations. Two species of once-abundant bromeliads
(Tillandsia utriculata and Tillandsia fasciculata) have been placed of
Florida's list of endangered plant species as a direct result of
destruction from Metamasuis callizona.

The "Save Florida's Native Bromeliads" project is an attempt by the
Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies, the University of Florida, and
the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Division
of Plant Industry) to manage the weevil and conserve the bromeliad
species at risk before the weevil is able to completly destroy them.
To learn more on the project's goals, and what to do a href="http://
www.freewebs.com/jacksbromeliads/"Visit My Website/a

Something to think about is, are the plants in a predisposition for the
weevil? Maybe the weevil are just the clean up crew. When energy reserves
are low in a plant, its defense system is weakened. When the defense system
is weaken, the plant is in a predisposition to receive the clean up crew.
Most of the time the clean up crew gets the blame. Example, adding large
amounts of Nitrogen will place certain trees such as xmas trees in a
predisposition to receive sucking insects. If the tree dies, the sucking
insects are blamed. In all reality, the person how over fertilized with
nitrogen is the primary cause. Cause and effect often get mixed up. There
is a long list of examples on how humans place trees in predisposition.

When trees are cut and cut, and their associates are destroyed, the new
trees that grow after this, become weaker and weaker. The predisposition
factors go higher and higher until insects and fungi, and others, come in to
clean up the mess started by humans. In the cities, trees are planted, and
treated incorrectly. The city trees after a few years begin to wane. Then
the power people add many costly treatments that make them more profits,
while the trees continue to die. Humans have found so many ways to torture
and kill humans and others. They will never learn that we cannot LIVE
without our friends. Don't blame the clean up crew!

BTW, some of the reasons problems start in national Forest can be found as I
define logging.
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/SOUND/

Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Arborist
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman
and www.treedictionary.com
Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.

"Jack" wrote in message
ps.com...
Florida has 16 species of native Bromeliads, many of which are
restricted to the southern portions of our state. Florida is at risk
of losing some of its most unique bromeliads forever, as an invasive
exotic pest weevil (Metamasuis callizona), or as us Floridans call it
"Evil Weevil", is destroying populations of 5 of these native
bromeliad species at an alarming rate. Six species of rarer bromeliads
are also vulnerable.

The "Evil Weevil" entered Florida in a shipment of bromeliads from
Mexico, and buy the time it was discovered in a nursery in 1989, it
had become established in Broward County. It is now in 16 counties in
south Florida and is fast approaching Florida's most rare and
endangered bromeliad species in the Everglades.
The Mexican Bromeliad Weevil kills the plants by the tunneling of its
larvae which eats-out the entire base of the plant causing it to fall
from the tree that was supporting it. The weevil prefers large, mature
plants, and the death of many of the breeding individuals quickly
wipes out entire populations. Two species of once-abundant bromeliads
(Tillandsia utriculata and Tillandsia fasciculata) have been placed of
Florida's list of endangered plant species as a direct result of
destruction from Metamasuis callizona.

The "Save Florida's Native Bromeliads" project is an attempt by the
Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies, the University of Florida, and
the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Division
of Plant Industry) to manage the weevil and conserve the bromeliad
species at risk before the weevil is able to completly destroy them.
To learn more on the project's goals, and what to do a href="http://
www.freewebs.com/jacksbromeliads/"Visit My Website/a

Sorry its not specific to your problem. Here's a article on Predisposition.
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/shigo/ARM.html


Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Arborist
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman
and www.treedictionary.com
Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.

"Jack" wrote in message
ps.com...
Florida has 16 species of native Bromeliads, many of which are
restricted to the southern portions of our state. Florida is at risk
of losing some of its most unique bromeliads forever, as an invasive
exotic pest weevil (Metamasuis callizona), or as us Floridans call it
"Evil Weevil", is destroying populations of 5 of these native
bromeliad species at an alarming rate. Six species of rarer bromeliads
are also vulnerable.

The "Evil Weevil" entered Florida in a shipment of bromeliads from
Mexico, and buy the time it was discovered in a nursery in 1989, it
had become established in Broward County. It is now in 16 counties in
south Florida and is fast approaching Florida's most rare and
endangered bromeliad species in the Everglades.
The Mexican Bromeliad Weevil kills the plants by the tunneling of its
larvae which eats-out the entire base of the plant causing it to fall
from the tree that was supporting it. The weevil prefers large, mature
plants, and the death of many of the breeding individuals quickly
wipes out entire populations. Two species of once-abundant bromeliads
(Tillandsia utriculata and Tillandsia fasciculata) have been placed of
Florida's list of endangered plant species as a direct result of
destruction from Metamasuis callizona.

The "Save Florida's Native Bromeliads" project is an attempt by the
Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies, the University of Florida, and
the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Division
of Plant Industry) to manage the weevil and conserve the bromeliad
species at risk before the weevil is able to completly destroy them.
To learn more on the project's goals, and what to do a href="http://
www.freewebs.com/jacksbromeliads/"Visit My Website/a