POSSIBLE FIRST CRB DETECTION ON MOLOKAʻI

Apr. 9, 2026
NR26-06

KAUNAKAKAI, Molokaʻi, Hawaiʻi - A large dead insect suspected to be a coconut rhinoceros beetle was found in a trap by staff from the Molokaʻi/Maui Invasive Species Committee (MoMISC) on Tuesday morning, April 7, 2026, near Kaunakakai Harbor. Based on photographs of the specimen, it is likely a coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) and is being sent to the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (HDAB) Plant Pest Control Branch on Oʻahu for official species confirmation. If confirmed to be CRB, this will be the first detection of CRB on Molokaʻi.

The trap was last checked March 30, with no beetles found. No beetles were found in any other trap checked on April 7. The discovery follows the April 1 detection of CRB on Maui.

MoMISC is deploying additional traps and surveying for CRB feeding damage or breeding sites. Response capacity is supported by interagency partners from HDAB, the Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council, CRB Response, the County of Maui and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Adult CRB damage palm fronds as they bore into a palm to feed; however, it can take months before damage to palm fronds appears. Because adult CRB pose a direct threat to local food security, it is critical to detect them as early as possible, increasing the likelihood of eradication before possible spread to other areas on Molokaʻi. With early detection, residents can avoid islandwide infestation and prevent long-term economic and agricultural damage.

Residents, businesses and landowners in a two-mile radius from Kaunakakai Harbor are asked to check coconut palms or other large palm species for possible signs of CRB feeding damage and to identify and report piles of green waste that could harbor CRB. Residents should also be vigilant when purchasing or moving mulch, compost and soil products, as well as avoiding purchasing bags with damaged packaging or holes, as they could be infested with CRB.

CRB grubs breed in decomposing plant waste. An adult beetle is about 2 inches long, all black and has a single horn on its head. If a suspected larvae or beetle is found, it should be collected and stored in a hard-sided completely sealed container - such as a glass jar - and reported for identification. Do not dispose of the specimen until identification can occur because there are other widespread species, such as the Oriental flower beetle, which have similar larvae.

Residents may go to the CRB Response website at: https://www.crbhawaii.org/ to learn more about how to detect the signs of CRB damage and how to identify CRB life stages. Reports of possible CRB infestations on Molokaʻi can be referred to MoMISC at 808-480-8191. Reports can also be made by phone to the state's toll-free Pest Hotline at 808-643-PEST (7378) or online to 643pest.org.

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