red palm weevil larva
The larva of the red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is a destructive pest of palm trees in subtropical regions. During larval stages, R. ferrugineus tunnels deep within the palm trunk, making detection and pest management difficult. However, researchers have found that they can measure R. ferrugineus larval activity acoustically, and a new study shows that the success rate of a leading management method for the pest can be evaluated by noting changes in acoustic signals from within an affected palm tree. (Photo credit: Katja Schulz/Flickr CC BY 2.0)