Attempted eadication of the coconut rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (Scarabaeidae), a recently arrived invasive species on Guam

An infestation of the coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) was detected in Guam's tourist hotel area on September 11, 2007. Adult CRB kill coconuts and other palms when they bore into crowns to feed on sap. CRB grubs feed in decaying coconut logs which are very abundant on Guam in the form of palms killed by recent typhoons. Based on what happened when CRB arrived in the Palau Islands during the 1940s, it is expected that 50% or more of Guam's coconut palms will be killed in the absence of pest control.

After a delimiting survey showed that the infestation was localized, an eradication attempt was launched as a cooperative project involving USDA-APHIS, the Guam Department of Agriculture, and the University of Guam. The eradication project currently uses three pest control tactics:

1. Mass trapping of adults using vaned bucket traps baited with a commercially available aggregation pheromone which attracts both sexes
2. Physical removal and/or treatment of rotting coconut logs and other potential breeding sites and food supply for grubs
3. Spot treatment of palms and breeding sites with conventional and injectable insecticides

An evaluation of progress towards eradication will be presented.