An official website of the United States government.

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle

Scientific Name

Oryctes rhinoceros (Linnaeus) (CABI)

Common Name

Coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB), Asiatic rhinoceros beetle

Native To

Tropical regions of Asia (Marshall et al. 2017)

Date of U.S. Introduction

First discovered in Guam in 2007 and Hawaii in 2013 (Marshall et al. 2017)

Means of Introduction

Most likely arrived on construction material imported from Asia (USDA 2008)

Impact

Damages and kills coconut and oil palms; has also been known to attack bananas, sugarcane, papayas, sisal, and pineapple (APHIS 2014; Marshall et al. 2017)

Coconut rhinoceros beetle
Image use policy

Coconut rhinoceros beetle, adult (dorsal)

Credit

Photo by Pest and Diseases Image Library

Find more images

Spotlights

  • Interior Office of Insular Affairs Announces Nearly $3 Million to Protect Coral Reefs and Combat Invasive Species in the Insular Areas

    • Sep 29, 2021
    • DOI. Office of Insular Affairs.

    • The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) has announced $2,772,443 in Coral Reef and Natural Resources Initiative (CRNR) grant funds to protect coral reef resources in the U.S. territories and the freely associated states. The funding includes $1,541,421 that will support efforts to control and eradicate invasive species in the insular areas. Grants for fiscal year 2021 to combat invasive species have been awarded as follows:

      • University of Guam for research and related efforts to counter the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle - $866,423
      • Micronesia Conservation Trust, a regional non-governmental organization, for the eradication, control, and management of invasive species in Kosrae, Chuuk, and Yap - $300,000
      • Island Conservation, a non-profit organization, for the removal of invasive rats in Mili Atoll, Marshall Islands - $299,838
      • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Government for Sabana Pandanus Forest control and native trees restoration project - $75,160
  • A Pacific Battle to Eradicate the Rhinoceros Beetle

    • Oct 2017
    • Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

    • Recently, the health of coconut palms has come under severe threat. The Pacific Community (SPC), working with Pacific Island countries and territories, and development partners, is looking for ways to meet this threat before it devastates the hopes of economic progress in the region. In August of 2017 an alert was issued identifying a new danger to the Pacific, which is causing devastation to coconut palms and expanding rapidly across the region. The new threat comes from a longstanding adversary in the region: the rhinoceros beetle.

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Videos

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source.

Council or Task Force
Partnership
Federal Government
International Government
State and Local Government
Academic
Citations