Imagine the surprise when a dead coconut rhinoceros beetle was discovered among compost bags at a big-box store on Maui. The staff from the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture stumbled upon this unexpected find during a routine survey. Recognizing the significance of the situation, the store immediately quarantined the fifteen pallets of compost bags and decided to ship them back to O‘ahu, where the product originated. The response was swift as inspectors were dispatched to other retailers on Maui and Hawai‘i Island to quarantine any similar compost bags. Overall, the cooperation from retailers, distributors, and manufacturers has been commendable in containing this potential threat. If you recently purchased locally produced compost from a big-box retailer on Maui, you are encouraged to return the product, or drop it off at the Maui Plant Quarantine Inspection Office. It’s crucial to maintain vigilance and stop the spread of the coconut rhinoceros beetle to uninfested areas.
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Dead coconut rhinoceros beetle found on Maui
One dead coconut rhinoceros beetle was found on Monday among compost bags at a Maui big-box store, by staff from the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture.
Staff from HDOA’s Plant Pest Control Branch (PPC) and Plant Quarantine Branch were conducting a routine survey at the store when they noticed a hole in one of the compost bags and upon further investigation, found one dead CRB.
Discovery at Maui Big-Box Store
Routine survey reveals dead beetle in compost bags
Fifteen pallets of the bagged compost were voluntarily placed in quarantine by the store and all pallets were contained and are being shipped back to O‘ahu, where the product originated. No live beetles have been detected on Maui.
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Quarantine Measures Taken
Pallets of compost bags voluntarily quarantined
Shipment back to O‘ahu
Immediately after the discovery on Maui, HDOA’s PQB inspectors on Maui and Hawai‘i Island were dispatched to other retailers and pallets of the compost bags from the same company were also quarantined and will be shipped back to O‘ahu. PQB staff on Kaua‘i are also surveying retailers on that island.
Additional Inspections and Quarantine Measures
Inspectors dispatched to other retailers
Quarantine of compost bags from same company
Surveying of retailers on Kaua‘i
“We appreciate the cooperation of the retailers, distributors, and manufacturers in helping to contain the situation and prevent the spread of CRB in the state,” said Dexter Kishida, deputy to the HDOA Chairperson. “The Department of Agriculture continues to work with mulch and compost companies on O‘ahu to prevent the movement of the beetle to uninfested areas.”
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Cooperation from Retailers and Manufacturers
Gratitude expressed toward cooperation
Preventing the spread of CRB
Anyone who has recently purchased locally produced compost from a big-box retailer on Maui may return the product to the store. Or, locally produced compost product may be dropped off at the Maui PQB offices:
- 635 Mua Street, in Kahului. Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Maui Plant Quarantine Inspection Office, Kahului Airport (next to the Aloha Air Cargo Office on Haleakalā Hwy.), every day from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Product Return and Drop-off Options
Return of locally produced compost to store
Drop-off locations for compost product on Maui
If the product is not in a returnable state, each bag of the product may be double-bagged and sealed in dark-colored, heavy-duty plastic bags. The sealed bags should be placed on a concrete slab or asphalt that gets direct sunlight for five consecutive days.
Disposal Instructions for Non-returnable Product
Double-bagging and sealing in plastic bags
Exposure to direct sunlight for five consecutive days
Green waste provides an optimal breeding environment for CRB, and residents on all islands are urged to check their compost bins and green waste for CRB larvae. In an effort to stop the spread of CRB to neighbor islands, HDOA will be reissuing an interim rule, originally issued in July 2022, restricting the movement of CRB host material from O‘ahu to neighbor islands. CRB host material includes, but is not limited to: palm plants; decomposing plant material such as compost, wood or tree chips, and mulch; plant-growing media (potting soils, etc.); and other products containing organic plant material.
Surveillance and Restrictions to Prevent Spread
Checking compost bins and green waste for CRB larvae
Restricting movement of CRB host material
Efforts to detect and eradicate CRB on Kaua‘i
CRB was first detected in Hawai‘i in Dec. 2013 on O‘ahu and has gradually spread from Central and West O‘ahu to the North Shore and the windward side.
On Kaua‘i in late May 2023, a live CRB was detected in a trap on Kaua‘i by a survey crew from the Kaua‘i Invasive Species Committee (KISC). So far, nine CRB adults and four larvae have been detected on Kaua‘i. Efforts on the island to detect and eradicate CRB are ongoing, with the assistance of the KISC and the County of Kaua‘i.
Surveillance and Detection Efforts
Ongoing surveillance on neighbor islands
Use of pheromone traps for early detection
Deployment of CRB traps on O‘ahu
Surveillance for CRB has been ongoing on all neighbor islands, including pheromone traps at airports, harbors, and other strategic locations. The traps are used for early detection of CRB infestations. More than 3,000 CRB traps have been deployed around O‘ahu to track infestation areas.
Reporting Potential Infestations
Contact information for CRB Response Team and Pest Hotline
CRB is a serious pest of palm trees, primarily coconut palms, as the adult beetles bore into the crowns of the palms to feed on the tree’s sap. New unopened fronds are damaged in this way and when fully opened, may break and fall unexpectedly. If CRB kill or damage the growing point of the palm, the tree may die. Secondary fungal or bacterial pathogens may also attack the wounds caused by CRB, thereby killing the tree as well. Tree mortality after CRB attack has been reported to be anywhere from 10 percent to 50 percent. Dead trees then become a safety hazard as they may fall unexpectedly after the trunk rots, potentially resulting in bodily injury or property damage.
It is a major pest of palms in India, the Philippines, Palau, Fiji, Wallis, Nukunono, American and Western Samoa, and Guam. It is still not known exactly how the beetles arrived in Hawai‘i.
Reports of possible CRB infestation may be addressed to the CRB Response Team at (808) 679-5244 or email info@crbhawaii.org or the state’s toll-free Pest Hotline at (808) 643-PEST (7378).