Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB), an invasive pest, was detected Dec. 23, 2013 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor – Hickam on coconut trees. A joint effort between USDA, UH at Manoa, U.S. Navy, HDOA and other partners has mobilized and an Incident Command System (ICS) has been established to respond to this pest emergency.
Please find below the latest update or click here to view/download as PDF. Contact Rob Hauff, CRB Response Liaison Officer, with any questions related to this update.
Rob Hauff: Robert.D.Hauff@hawaii.gov, 808.295.5853
*Weekly CRB updates will be sent to the full HISC Listserv, to opt-out of the updates, please respond to this email indicating you do not wish to receive them.
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February 17 - 21, 2014 Update
- Grinding of the infested mulch at Mamala Bay Golf Course on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam was completed by the Navy contractor. The grinding killed adults and large grubs allowing for eventual transport to H-power for incineration without the risk of adult beetles escaping. The pile of ground mulch has been covered to prevent re-infestation, and barrel traps which create an artificial breeding site have been deployed around the site to capture and prevent adults from dispersing to new areas.
- A steam sterilizer arrived on island to sterilize soil in areas where CRB breeding sites have been located. Arrangements are being made to bring in outside expertise for training response staff to use the sterilizer.
- The Navy is pursing the use of in-vessel composting as a way to safely dispose of green waste on base that may have been contaminated with beetle eggs or larvae. The heat generated by the composting process should kill beetles; laboratory and bioassasy trials are being tested to validate the method.
- Over the previous weekend, an adult beetle was trapped in the Salt Lake area. The find was in the initial 2-mile buffer but expands the survey buffer area. (The buffer area is still contiguous.) This suggests that there may be additional breeding sites that have not been detected. Surveys are being carried out in the area to find breeding areas. Trapping and visual surveys continued in the core infestation area and at high risk areas around the island. About 445 traps have been deployed so far, and 42 beetles were trapped during the week. No new breeding sites were found.
- New crews from DLNR, Oahu Invasive Species Committee, the Ko’olau Mountain Watershed Partnership, and Oahu Army Natural Resource Program were trained for conducting surveys. Response staff also met with UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources to coordinate the use of student and faculty volunteers for CRB surveys.
- A local news story about the CRB response came out this week and can be viewed at: www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/24780940/hundreds-of-coconut-rhinoceros-beetles-found-as-eradication-efforts-increased
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