Oriental flower beetle ( Protaetia orientalis, P. If youвЂ™d like to contact the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response Plan, you can do so at Look-alike Species If you see this species, call 643-PEST and/or visit. If you see this beetle anywhere in Hawaii- call 643-PEST or report it online! What you can do

It was found in Hawaii in 2013 at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam during a routine survey by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) and the University of Hawaii-Hilo. Interisland transport of goods and people may account for long distance movement of this pest. It is spread in infested yard waste and compost, as well as in rotting breadfruit/banana used for earth ovens in Samoa. First found on Guam in the Tumon Bay area in September of 2007, by early 2012, this pest had spread to all urban/suburban areas, including military housing areas (Anderson AFB housing).

The rhinoceros beetle is native to Africa, China, Myanmar/India, and Southeast Asia and has been introduced to several Pacific Islands including Tonga, Samoa, Palau, Fiji, and Guam. 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%. On Pacific Islands with no natural enemies of this beetle, the damage can be extreme. Adults damage living palms, either killing the tree due to direct damage, or opening up the tree to fatal damage from other insects or pathogens. It can be also found in betelnut (Areca catchu), Pandanus species, banana, pineapple, and sugarcane. The rhinoceros beetle is considered a major pest of coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) and African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). Once a coconut palm dies, eggs are laid and the larva/grub can be found. These holes are very noticeable once the frond emerges, with вЂVвЂ™-shaped cuts and holes in the midrib. Adults fly at night and chew into the emerging fronds of coconut palms to feed on sap, creating holes in the top part of the palm, and killing the tree if it eats into the meristem (living/growing part of the tree). This pest can also be identified by the damage it inflicts on coconut palms. Larva have a rough head capsule that is large compared to its body. The larval grub is sluggish, white, вЂCвЂ™ shaped (2.4-4вЂі long or more), and crawls on its side. The adult is a stout (1.2-2.4вЂі long) brownish black beetle with a characteristic horn projecting from the head in both males and females. Prevention and Control Category : OISC Target Species Report this species! Regulatory Status : Hawaii Injurious Wildlife, HDOA Pest for Control (HAR 69A) Image credit: Coconut rhinoceros beetle ( Oryctes rhinoceros)

Rhinoceros beetle