1. Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros
A Major Threat to Hawaii’s Coconut and Palm Trees
Aubrey Moore UG
Arnold H. Hara
University of Hawaii at Manoa
College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources
875 Komohana St. Hilo, Hawaii

2. Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB)
Native range: Southeastern Asia
*CRB was introduced throughout the Pacific primarily as a
result of the increased sea traffic during World War II.
*Most recently, CRB was discovered in Guam on Sep 2007.
*Primary damage is adults boring from the petioles of
fronds into the crown cutting through developing leaves
feeding on the exuded sap.
*The beetle breeds in dead standing coconut palms killed
by pest /disease/ lightning, decaying organic materials like
compost and sawdust heaps. (Bedford, 1980).
*Eggs hatch in 8-12 days and larvae feed on decaying
coconut/palm debris for days.
*Prepupal and Pupal stage is days and the adult
remains in the pupal cell for days.
*Adults live for 4-9 months and each female lays eggs.
(M. Schmaedick 2005 Am. Samoa)
egg
1st instar
3rd instar
Female
shorter
horn
than
male
Female
w/fuzzy
Orange
rear.
pupa

3. Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) damage symptoms
*Primary damage is adults boring from the
petioles of fronds into the crown cutting
through developing unopen fronds feeding on
the exuded sap.
Active adult boring hole thru petiole
*V-shape
cut on
open
fronds.
*Similar to
mechanical
pruning
damage to
unopened
fronds
Active
adult
boring
hole in
Petiole
“wet look”
Coconut
fibers
from
adult
boring

4. Damage to Foxtail palm emerging frond
Boring with exposed coconut fiber

5. Area of attack by adult beetle
Older adult boring hole
Old boring thru trunk
Adult boring hole thru frond petiole

6. Symptoms of CRB Attack: V-cut with associated lateral boring thru fronds

7. Boring damage to folded new terminal growth: Damage is semi-circular

8. Major Breeding Site in Coconut Trimming Debris, Asan, Guam
09/13

9. Major Breeding Site with all CRB stages, Asan, Guam

10. Asan Beach Guam Dead Coconut Tree with CRB Adults and grubs found
in rotting
coconut trunk
terminal
O9/13

11. Most Efficient CRB Trap in Guam
Uv LED light
50 gal steel barrel filled
with rotting coconut
debris, live CRB, grubs &
aggregation pheromone.
Ultraviolet LED light over
trap. Chicken wire allows
CRB to enter but cannot
fly out. (Moore &
Quitugua, per. com. 09/13)
Pheromone
w/CRB

12. Hooded
Vane
Trap
Trap with chicken wire
instead of vane
Uv LED light plus
pheromone
Increase trap
Efficiency
(Moore & Quitugua
Pers. Com. 09/13)
Trap w/ CRB pheromone
Increase efficacy of
traps by rotting coconut
stumps placed beneath
trap with CRB pheromone
Guam 09/13