HONOLULU – The Hawai’i Department of Agriculture (HDOA), in partnership with the County of Hawai’i Public Works Department (COH-PWD), is continuing its aggressive campaign to eradicate the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) on Hawai’i Island, with another round of treatments completed at the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA) on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. This follows an earlier treatment conducted last month at the airport.
“It really is ‘all hands on deck’ in West Hawai’i, and all our partner agencies are dedicating everything they have to stop the establishment of CRB on Hawai’i Island,” said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawai’i Board of Agriculture. “Mahalo, again, to Mayor Kimo Alameda and his public works crew – their resources and assistance have been phenomenal in this coordinated effort.”
The collaborative effort between the County of Hawai’i and HDOA began in January 2025, following the initial detection of CRB in the Kona area. COH-PWD has been crucial in providing boom trucks to reach and treat the crowns of palm trees, a prime target for the destructive beetles.
Timeline of Detections and Treatments:
- October 2023: A Waikoloa resident discovered six CRB larvae in a decaying palm tree stump, prompting intensified surveillance.
- April 2024: The Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) reported four adult CRB in traps in Waikoloa.
- September 2024: HDOA personnel found a single CRB in a trap during routine monitoring in Waikoloa.
- January 2025: The County of Hawai’i offered its resources, including a 75-foot boom truck, to assist with palm tree treatments.
- Jan. 14, 2025: In Waikoloa Village, a joint HDOA/COH team treated 38 trees via crown applications and injected 24 trees with a systemic protectant.
- March 3, 2025: BIISC reported a CRB in a trap along the boundary of KOA. Two days later, two more adults were found at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai’i (NELHA).
- March 14-19 2025: At KOA, HDOA, COH and airport staff treated 123 trees using boom trucks and injected another 12 trees that were inaccessible.
- April 7 & 8, 2025: At NELHA, crews treated the crowns of 44 trees and injected 14 others.
- April 15, 16 & 21, 2025: At Honokōhau Small Boat Harbor and Marina, crews treated 313 crowns and injected over 50 trees.
- April 24, 2025: Following the discovery of a CRB wing, all palm trees at the West Hawai’i Veteran’s Cemetery (13 trees) were treated as a precaution.
- May 6, 2025: HDOA, COH, and Kona Airport staff treated 86 palms via crown application at KOA.
- May 2025 (Upcoming): Treatment is scheduled for the Keāhole Ag Park later this month.
Since March 2025, a total of 10 adult CRB have been reported in the areas of Keāhole Ag Park, NELHA, O’oma, Kohanaiki, and KOA in West Hawai’i.
The HDOA’s Plant Pest Control Branch and Pesticides Branch are implementing treatments, including crown applications and tree injections. Treated palms are tagged with yellow tape, and the public is advised not to consume coconuts from these trees. Questions regarding pesticide use can be directed to HDOA’s Pesticides Branch at 808-973-9402.
Residents statewide are urged to inspect mulch, compost, and soil products for entry holes, as CRB breed in decomposing organic matter. Adult beetles are about 2 inches long, black, with a single horn on their head. They leave distinctive V-shaped cuts in palm leaves and bore holes in trunks.
For more information on identifying CRB damage and life stages, visit https://www.crbhawaii.org/. Report any suspected infestations to the state’s toll-free Pest Hotline at 808-643-PEST (7378).