The Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle is killing the palms...
Find out what Oʻahu locals are doing to save their trees.
Our Mission
Our mission is to save Hawaiian palm trees from the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle, using nontoxic methods, so the trees, bees, birds and ground water sources remain healthy and viable.
Our Goal
Our goal is simple: to create solutions that combat the beetle and to share our designs and strategies, so that anyone can join the fight to save their trees.
Our Story
This is a family story, but really it is my dad's story and his love for this island and all that the Palm trees represent. My dad, Brown Cannon Jr., spent his life working in agriculture and when he was not on the farm, he was designing and building just about everything with his own hands...including the waterbed I had when I was a kid (sorry TMI)...He is a project guy with laser focus, and when he learned about the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) and that Oʻahu was at risk of losing the palms, he decided he would design a solution. For the past 6 months he learned everything he could about the CRB, and in doing so he met Alberto Ricordi, an extension agent at the University of Hawaiʻi. Together they developed a Ring Spray System that easily snaps into place around the crown at the top of the palm, where the CRB feeds. From here a single line of tubing runs down the tree connecting the ring at the top, to a pump system on the ground. Research from the University of Hawaiʻi found that pumping a mixture of water, 3% Basil oil, Neem Oil (1oz/gal) and Dawn Soap (1oz/gal) up to the crown is a serious deterrent for the CRB. To date, the Ring Spray Systems have been installed in trees in Honolulu, the North Shore as well as at Kōkua Learning Farm in Haleʻiwa. We are optimistic that these mature palms will have less overall CRB damage than neighboring trees in 3-6 months time. And we believe that regular applications of the mixture to the crown will keep the CRB away and will cause beetles already embedded in the trees to leave. It isn't certain that the Basil oil is the silver bullet, but the Ring Spray System will allow our team to experiment further as needed. It feels good knowing we are giving our trees a chance. Scroll down to download our designs, parts lists, build instructions, installation guides and research. Access is free to all.
Now Let's Save our Palms
The Beetle (CRB)
The Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) first started killing palms in Samoa in 1909. It was determined that the beetles were transported to Samoa from Sri Lanka in rubber plant cuttings. There is no certain path of invasion to Hawaiʻi, but genetic information and pathway analyses also suggest human-vectored spread from another Pacific Island in 2013. Since then, the CRB has quickly become the single greatest threat to Hawaiian palm ecosystems.
The adult beetles are characterized by a horn-like projection on their heads, and they lay their eggs in soils and compost piles. The CRB bores into the crowns of coconut palms using its front legs and horn which stunts growth and can lead to secondary infections and to the death of the trees.
In Hawaiʻi, the beetle's spread has been difficult to control due to its ability to fly long distances and its resilience to many common pesticides. Additionally, the CRB poses a risk to native ecosystems, as it damages not only coconut palms but other tropical monocot plants, including oil palms, the native Loulu Palm, taro, banana, pineapple, sugarcane, papaya, and agave. Without intervention, the beetles could decimate palm populations, impacting not only the landscape but also the ecological balance. It is essential that we pursue ongoing efforts to Save Hawaiian Palms before it is too late.
Are Beetles Killing my Palms?
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Boreholes in the Crown and Fronds:
•The beetles burrow into the crown, leaving entry holes that can be seen at the base of fronds.
Damaged Fronds:
•New leaves may have irregular, ragged edges.
•Fronds display V or wedge-shaped cuts.
•The canopy appears tattered with significant gaps.
Frass and Sawdust-Like Material:
•You might find coarse brown frass (a mixture of beetle excrement and chewed plant material) around the base of the palm or at the crown.
What Can I Do?
1. Build Ring Spray Systems - Download the Instructions + Build List Below.
2. Install the Ring Spray Systems - Check out the Installation Video Below and contact a Tree Climber who can help.
3. Remove Mulch Piles and Yard Debris - Doing this will minimize CRB breeding grounds near your trees.
4. Set Traps - Set up traps like the one in the photo. The mulch and pheromones lure the CRB into the netting.
5. Contact State Officials - Demand they help save our islands Coconut Palms.
6. Act Early - It is best to install the systems before the beetles have infested your trees. If you are proactive your trees will have a much better chance of survival.
Tree Climbers
For help Building and Installing Ring Spray Systems and for general Coconut Palm Tree Care call or email:
Eli Blanchard - tree.aina@gmail.com
808-295-3908
Kaleb Nakanelua - Kaleb.nakanelua@gmail.com
808-729-1560
David Serpa - barechestedarborist@gmail.com
808-679-1099
**Avoid Insecticides**
Insecticides like Imidacloprid requires continual use to manage the CRB. Repetitive applications in the environment pose serious risks to biodiversity, especially pollinators, birds and aquatic life, such as turtles and fish. Rain washes these chemicals into the ground and ocean contaminating fresh and salt water sources. And let's not forget the human health impact. Exposure can lead to neurological disorders, hormone imbalances, and other long-term health consequences.
Please protect our sensitive Hawaiian ecosystems