MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- Since the discovery of a coconut rhinoceros beetle infestation aboard Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Dec. 23, 2013, federal and local organizations have been working to eradicate the CRB from the island.
The CRB, typically native to Southeast Asia, pose a threat to Hawaii’s flora — having destroyed an estimated 50 percent of the palm trees on the island of Guam in 2007. They bore into the center of the crown of the palm, where they injure young, growing tissue and feed on the sap. This damage may significantly reduce coconut production and kill the palms.
Lance Bookless, the senior natural resources manager with the Environmental Compliance and Protection Department aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, said organizations such as the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Oahu Invasive Species Council and University of Hawaii are working together with service members to eradicate the CRB and develop a treatment for the palms already infested by the beetle.
“(Today), the HDOA will be deploying 15 bait-monitoring traps around Mokapu Peninsula (and Camp H.M. Smith area),” Bookless said. “The traps will be hung from trees and most will be visible from the road.”
According to Bookless, the bait stations are about 3 feet long and black with a white catch container at its base, and is constructed of heavy wax-coated cardboard. He said the traps utilize small pheromone lures and tiny lights that act as attractants.
“HDOA’s field crew will check the bait stations once a week,” Bookless said. “The crews will be operating out of state-rented personally owned vehicles and will be wearing state identification badges. The bait stations will remain deployed until such a time as the HDOA determines the threat has (been) eradicated or it is no longer possible to contain or control the CRB.”
Robert Curtiss, an entomologist and the CRB incident commander with the HDOA, said the beetles are located in three main methods: Pheromone trapping, ground surveys for breeding sites and damaged tree surveys.
“Once we locate the beetles, we locating breeding sites and destroy them,” Curtiss said. “Often(times), destruction means incinerating or ‘in-vessel composting,’ a method that raises the temperature to lethal levels.”
Bookless said there are a few ways for service members and civilians around Oahu to help prevent the spread of beetles.
“If you train at Pu‘uloa, which is currently infested with the CRB, shake out your equipment before transporting it back to K-Bay or Camp Smith,” Bookless said. “CRBs are most active at night, so be extra vigilant that the beetle doesn’t hitch a ride on your equipment or vehicles.”
It’s also best to enclose home composters and not stockpile green waste or mulch, both of which are good breeding sites for the CRB, Bookless added.
“All mulched material and green waste must be removed off base within a day or two of its creation,” Bookless said. “As a homeowner or (employee) at the base garden shop, do not leave bags of plant food outside at night. The CRB can burrow through the plastic so these types of products need to be taken indoors or stored in a sealed container at the end of the day.”
He also said that because the CRB damage may cause a V-notched look to the palm fronds, it helps to monitor the palm leaves or look for any holes bored into the trunk or base of the fronds.
The point of contact for the traps deployed on base are Bookless at 257-7000 or Todd Russell at 216-7135; the POC for traps deployed at Camp Smith is Charlene Richardson at 257-7136.
The base community is asked to report CRB panel traps that may be blown down due to strong winds. Dislodged traps should be reported by either calling the CRB hotline at 832-0585 or by email at stoprhino@gmail.com.
Members of the surrounding communities are also asked to contact the base Environmental Dept. natural resources managers, should they find any sign of the beetle. For an off-base contact, call the CRB hotline at 643-7378.