Beetles are distinguished by their hardened forewings, called “elytra.” Coleoptera is the largest of all orders, constituting almost 40% of described insects and 25% of all known animal species.
Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros)
Originally native to Africa, China, Myanmar/India, Southeast Asia, Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) has now been introduced to several Pacific Islands including Hawaii, Tonga, Samoa, Palau, Fiji, Guam via infested compost, mulch, green waste, plants, and hitchhiking in international cargo. CRB are a major pest of coconut palms, bananas, sugarcane, papayas, sisal, pineapples, and date palms: adults chew into emerging fronds of palms to feed on sap, creating V-shaped holes, and killing the tree if it eats into the meristem (living/growing part of the tree). On Pacific Islands with no natural enemies of this beetle, the damage is most extreme. In Palau, where the beetle first invaded in 1942, the coconut palm was eradicated entirely on some islands, with overall mortality across the archipelago reaching 50%.
What can you do?
- Declare all agricultural items when you return from international travel & don’t bring or mail fresh fruits, vegetables, or living plants unless agricultural inspectors have inspected and cleared them beforehand
- If you see it in Hawaii: contact the Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s Pest Hotline. Call or text (808) 643-PEST (7378) or e-mail info@crbhawaii.org
- Other states: report sightings of this pest to your local State Plant Health Director
Learn more:
- https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/resources/pests-diseases/hungry-pests/the-threat/coconut-rhinoceros-beetle/hp-crp
- https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/invertebrates/coconut-rhinoceros-beetle
- https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/hisc/info/invasive-species-profiles/coconut-rhinoceros-beetle/
